Do They Match Report Bangladesh - World Population Foundation

August, 2010 Do they match?
Some boys, both younger and older, mainly either from slums or orphanages, mentioned
that they went to herbalists (kobiraj, who treats only with herbs, following Ayurveda
tradition) and street canvassers for information concerning sex and sexuality. Others said
they were told by the street canvasser and herbalist that by massaging leech oil sold by
them onto the penis, it could be enlarged by up to 1 inch in 7 days. Girls did not go to
the street canvasser, as that is completely the boy’s domain. This is probably because
canvassers sell their medicines mostly in a crowded place, either in the middle of a town,
weekly bazaar (haat) or in the regular bazaar. Women hardly go to these places as
Bangladeshi women’s mobility is still restricted (starts from adolescent’s age for the
girls). Also probably in Bangladesh the culture of gender segregation is strong till date.
Moreover, canvassers openly talk about sexuality; they show pictures of genital organs,
and STDs. It is culturally inappropriate that women and men would stand on the street
side by side and listen together to someone who is talking about sexuality issues (Nahar
2007). It is also interesting that these sexuality issues become a taboo as soon as both
genders are exposed to them together in such an open setting. The girls, however, went
to the herbalist for various suggestions for menstrual pain. As well as herbs, the
herbalists give holy water as medicine. The girls said they have heard that after marriage
women go to the herbalists to have a male child and also for infertility problems. The
girls mentioned that they had heard that herbalists can also give solutions regarding
problems within love affairs or marriages. Herbalists are more commonly sought by
women for their sexuality and reproductive health issues. The herbalists in some cases
provide door to door services. So Bangladeshi women/girls who are often restricted to
the domestic domain, can easily get herbal medicines from an herbalist at home.
Sometimes these herbalists are women, in which case it makes even more acceptable
and accessible for the women/girls to get herbal medicine. Moreover, alternative
medicines (herbalist, canvassers, spiritual and megico-religious healers) are cheaper
compared to the biomedicines. It also complies with the general people’s causal belief
system (Nahar 2007). It was observed that almost all the boys and girls had not learnt
about sexuality from proper sources, neither did they discuss it openly. It is all hidden,
and as a result parents are not aware about where their children are getting information
from.
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