Within last one and a half month five AIDS patients have died in Bangladesh. None of them got any health benefit from the government, which is definitely a matter to worry about. Abdul Hakim (pseudonym), one of the five unfortunates, later was attacked by cancer. He ran hospitals to clinics for treatment but as HIV virus infected him none agreed to give him any treatment. He died without treatment at his own home in Sylhet. Other four AIDS victims did not have peaceful death. In March 2006 six AIDS patients were admitted in Mohakhali Hospital for Viral Diseases. They were left in the 6th floor where no facility of the hospital is available, not even any water facility. None of the doctors go there to extend their helpful hands to the patients. Four among these six patients have left the hospital. A nongovernmental organization “Ashar Alo” took their responsibility. All of them have died.

Now the question is, people who died without treatment -who is responsible for this? Executive director of Ashar Alo Habiba Akhtar has complained that HIV victims are neglected from the human rights in Bangladesh. They are being treated differentially by the society. For some superstitions many of the victims are hiding their disease.

But the constution of the country has declared equal rights for everyone. According to the constitution of section 15(a), one of the main responsibilities of the nation is to provide food, clothing, shelter, education and health facilities for everyone.

Ex- vice president of Bangladesh Medical Association (BMA) professor Dr. Rashid E- Mahbub regarding this situation of negligence said that every human being has the equal right to get treatment. It is the doctor’s duty to give treatment and the patient’s right to get treatment. So, there is no chance to differentiate between a normal patient and an AIDS patient. He also has discussed about the fear of the doctor’s risk to get infected by deadly viruses and said that there are some international rules and guidelines to avoid this risk; following these guidelines should provide service.

This was one single phenomenon. Human rights are being neglected in different ways. Recently, if someone is found with HIV positive virus it becomes news in the newspaper; the infected person is portrayed as big item of the news. News media thinks about the curiosity of the people and publish news where the victim’s right is neglected. But the media specialists think that there should be some rules and guidelines to bring news before public.

In November 2005, newspaper published news about five HIV positive people in the same family in Khulna. As they have published their names and identity, they are facing so many difficulties. Before this incident, In Jessore a rumor was spread out that HIV virus infected two women. Local newspaper published their names even with the pictures. As a result one lady suicide.

Robayet Ferdous assistant professor of Journalism and Mass Communication of Dhaka University has called upon the news media to become more responsible about sensitive news. She said that a HIV infected person is already in stress both in physically and mentally. Moreover if his/her identity is published, s/he may be boycotted by the society for superstitions.

Worldwide women and children are being forced for prostitution. Moreover, so many women are accepting the misfortune after being traded for sex. In the context of our country, HIV virus through infected husbands is infecting women.

HIV/AIDS situation in Bangladesh: First AIDS victim of the country was found in 1989. Total number of AIDS victim was 465 up to December 2004. We do not have the record of total AIDS victim in December 2005 from the government. Health Minister has reported the parliament in February 2006 that 74 AIDS patient have died in Bangladesh up to December 2005. According to “Report on the Global HIV/AIDS Epidemic-2002” of UNAIDS, total possible infected person in Bangladesh is 13,000 while the government reported the number is 7,500 in December 2004.

AIDS does not mean the punishment for sin: There are so many misconceptions about AIDS in the society. The fact is, one can be infected for various reasons. Chairman of the Technical Committee for AIDS of National AIDS Committee Major General (Retd.) A.S.M. Motiur Rahman has said that besides unsafe sexual relationship, taking in infected person’s blood, using the same syringe or newborn baby from an infected mother can be infected by HIV virus. So, to change attitude of people, reasons should be properly explained.
Risk of Women: Women are at the highest risk to be infected by HIV virus. In the context of our country although women play less risky part yet they are at higher risk for husbands.

Worldwide women and children are forced to do prostitution. Some of them are accepting this after being traded. In some bordering villages of Jessore district, it was seen that a large number of women are engaged in black marketing. Very often Indian BSF and Bangladeshi BDR sexually abuse them.

Again according to the different women organization, thousands of women and children are traded daily through different borders. In most cases, they are bound to do prostitution. And these women who are sexually abused in different ways are at highest risk to become infected by HIV virus.

Children at risk: Basically children have the risk to get infected by their parents. Many get the virus as fetus from an infected mother or from breastfeeding after birth. Children are being traded worldwide in many ways. According to UNICEF report “World child context-2004”, total number of HIV children victim (age under 14 years) of Bangladesh is 310. Report also said that about 2000 children became orphan due to the death of their parents from AIDS.

What can we do: HIV/AIDS specialists in the country think, to prevent infection of this deadly virus enough activities are not available in the country. Yet awareness has increased. The subject is getting importance. But fear, superstitions and misconceptions are far to get rid off from the society.

In the context of our country, we still have time to prevent AIDS. Associate professor of sociology at DU Dr. A.S.M. Amanullah has said that to stop fear from people’s mind we have to establish fruitful communicative system. Population at all levels should understand messages. Traditional social customs should be kept in mind while preparing agenda. Rights of the AIDS patient should be bring forth.