Reenu, a Bangladeshi Survivor’s Heartbreaking Story

In December, 2025, social workers Bharti and Sheena travelled to Ahmedabad to meet a 37-year-old survivor, Reenu. She was living with her two children in a small house in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, and our partner NGO from Bangladesh referred Reenu’s case to us. 

Reenu shared her heartbreaking story with Bharti and Sheena.

In 2000, when Reenu was only 12 years old, her father arranged her marriage to a man named Zaid. Over time, they built a good marriage and had two children together. They were financially stable, and Zaid showered Reenu with gifts, and arranged private transportation so Reenu could visit her parents frequently. 

One day, Reenu complained of severe breast pain, so Zaid took her to a reputable doctor in Bangladesh. Reenu received treatment and the pain stopped. Life continued as usual and Reenu was happy.

One day, a man in their village, Aman, began pursuing Reenu. He spread rumours that they were having an affair, so Zaid divorced Reenu and took custody of their daughter. Reenu returned to her parents home with her son.

Aman continued to pursue Reenu. Believing he loved her, Reenu agreed to marry Aman, and the couple had a son together. A few years later, Reenu’s breast pain returned with severity and the earlier medications were of no help this time. Aman suggested they journey to India to find a doctor to investigate the pain. 

In 2022, Aman and Reenu journeyed to India and temporarily lived with Aman’s relatives in Kolkata, then moved to Mumbai, where Reenu worked as a housekeeper. 

The couple struggled for money which led to conflict. Aman began to physically abuse Reenu. Desperate for money, Aman forced Reenu to enter prostitution. Through his connections, he contacted Simpi, a female pimp, who agreed to take pimp out Reenu. Aman forced Reenu to dress immodestly and took explicit pictures and videos of her to entice customers and to use as leverage if she attempted to flee. Aman sold Reenu’s jewelry and lived off her earnings from forced prostitution.

Months later, Aman’s brother asked him to return to Bangladesh. Reenu was determined to return with him. Simpi refused to give Reenu her passport, so Reenu decided to take a risk and enter Bangladesh without a passport.

When Aman and Reenu reached Assam, three men took her captive in a room, and over six days raped her repeatedly. Aman recorded everything so he could blackmail Reenu and ensure she never ran away.

When the couple reached Bangladesh, Reenu was battered and broken. Afraid of how Aman might use the explicit material, Reenu continued to stay with him.

Some months later, Aman suggested they return to India and start afresh as a family. He promised to find Reenu a housekeeping job while he would work in construction. Reenu agreed, and along with their two sons, the family entered India illegally through Kolkata. 

After arriving in Surat, Aman broke his promises to Reenu and instead connected with a notorious Bangladeshi trafficker and brothel owner, Sohail, who pimped out minors and women. Aman once again forced Reenu into prostitution where she served customers in Sohail’s brothel. 

One day, the police raided the brothel, but Sohail, who was well-networked, managed to avoid being arrested. Reenu saw this as her chance to leave the brothel and return to Bangladesh. She went back to Aman and shared her desire to return to Bangladesh. Aman physically abused and locked Reenu in a room with their sons.

When Sohail heard what happened, he felt pity for Reenu, and discreetly gave her Rs 2,000 (~$22) to leave Aman. Reenu left Aman in Surat and travelled to Mumbai with her sons.

A few months later, Reenu received a call from Aman. He was diagnosed with Typhoid and begged Reenu to return to Surat and take care of him. Reenu returned to Aman, and nursed him back to health. When he recovered, he became physically abusive again. Aman contacted another pimp who pimped out his wife. Needing more money, Aman finally sold Reenu to a man in Ahmedabad for Rs 300,000 (~$3,260) before he returned to Bangladesh. Reenu was forced to attend to customers in hotels. 

One day, the police raided a hotel where Reenu and other young victims were with customers. During the chaos of people attempting to flee the raid, one of the girls advised Reenu, “Run. This may be the only chance you get to escape.” So Reenu ran. 

Reenu contacted a Bangladeshi woman named Ritika who helped women in distress. Ritika found Reenu and her two sons a place to live. Reenu cleaned and cooked for the women she stayed with in exchange for her accommodation.

Social workers Bharti and Sheena left Reenu with a heavy heart. After discussing with the team, they presented Reenu’s case before the Ahmedabad Commissioner of Police, CP. Reenu was determined to see her exploiters caught and punished, and to find a protective home for her and her children. After listening to Reenu, the CP directed us to the Crime Branch.

For three days, the Crime Branch interrogated Reenu, then moved her to a detention centre in Ahmedabad along with her children. After enduring unimaginable suffering and injustice, Reenu continues to endure injustice. Although they heard Reenu’s heartbreaking story, the police chose to punish instead of assist Reenu. 

Our legal team is actively working to ensure that Reenu and her two sons are transferred to a protective home and then repatriated back to Bangladesh.