Why a Booktrail?
2000: A rebellion ignites amongst a community of sex workers on an isolated island – inspired by a real life story
Uprising
What you need to know before your trail
On a desolate, sinking island, a group of children witness their mothers living lives of cruelty and servitude.
Bought and sold by Amma, the sadistic madam who was once herself sold into slavery, the women have learned to accept their fate. Yet their children weave fantastic tales of escape, imagining that someday they will leave the island and enjoy a life of freedom.
When Kusum Khan, a young, educated woman from the city, is forcibly brought to the island, she too is subjected to Amma’s violent induction. Yet Kusum refuses to yield, and soon the collective complacency of her fellow prisoners turns into ferocity and defiance. Together, they begin a rebellion that will upend their island, their world and the very order of things.
Travel Guide
Mongla and Banishanta
The novel is set on a fictional island in Bangladesh – somewhere in the Bengal Delta near Mongla (the gateway to the Sundarbans).
However, the story of the women is inspired by Banishanta, an island in southwestern Bangladesh known for its legalized sex worker community and struggles associated with that.
BookTrail Boarding Pass: Uprising
Destination/Location: Mongla and Banishanta Author: Tahmima Anam Departure: 2000s
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