Pornography in Bangladesh

Pre-independence and early post-independence eras

In the Bengal region under British colonial rule, pornographic content was primarily confined to print media, such as erotic literature and nascent sexual periodicals. These periodicals, which featured nude photographic inserts, were constrained by the printing technology and colonial censorship of the 1940s through the 1970s.^[2] This material often consisted of smuggled foreign publications. They were scarce in Muslim-majority East Bengal due to Islamic cultural prohibitions and limited distribution systems. Consequently, access was restricted to elite or clandestine circles.^[3]

Following Bangladesh's independence in 1971, visual pornography began to emerge through cut-pieces. These were short celluloid clips of explicit sexual acts, illegally inserted during the screening of mainstream action films in the 1970s and 1980s, particularly in semi-rural cinema halls.^[4] Typically 1–2 minutes in length and featuring regional performers, these unauthorized stag-film segments evaded the Bangladesh Film Censor Board. They were added to the films after certification and removed before any formal inspections.^[5]

In the mid-1980s, the arrival of VHS cassettes accelerated the availability of moving-image pornography through blue films smuggled from India and abroad. These spread widely in clandestine rental markets and began to compete with local cinema.^[6]

From the late 1980s through the 1990s, VHS tapes enabled small-scale domestic dubbing of foreign content onto affordable cassettes. While this fostered a shift from communal cut-piece viewing in cinemas to private or group video viewing in urban Dhaka and rural areas, supply remained limited due to import risks and primitive duplication equipment. The media of this era were ephemeral, and tapes were often erased or hidden for fear of capture.^[6]

Transition to the digital age

Beginning in the late 1990s, the expansion of internet infrastructure in Bangladesh facilitated the distribution of pornography. Internet subscribers grew from 186,000 in 2000 to 617,300 by 2009,^[7] a surge driven primarily by the proliferation of cyber cafés in urban areas like Dhaka. In these cyber cafés, users could gain affordable access to global pornographic websites.^[8]

In the mid-2000s, digital storage media such as CDs and USB drives replaced celluloid reels, allowing for the easy portability and duplication of pornographic material. The introduction of cheap mobile data plans in the late 2000s and early 2010s further accelerated this evolution. Smartphone use enabled peer-to-peer sharing and rudimentary streaming of both imported and amateur domestic content, especially around 2010 as online uploads of locally produced clips began to increase.^[9]

As early as March 2009, ad hoc measures were taken to block specific pornography-hosting sites. While these initial blocks targeted public foreign platforms, they proved ineffective due to VPNs and local networks.^[10]

Print

Pornographic materials may include perverted and paraphilic novels, sometimes with illustrations, which are often sold by small roadside book shops.^[11]

Internet

In 2009, studies by the Manusher Jonno Foundation found increase in production of child pornography.^[12] In 2013, a report by the Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha cited a study that found that over 30 million taka worth of pornography is downloaded per month in cyber cafes in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The report also found that 77 percent of pornography viewers were underage.^[11]

In 2015, the High Court Division asked the government to stop pornographic material in social media.^[13] In 2016, Bangladesh government minister Tarana Halim, had announced plans to block internet porn sites in Bangladesh.^[14] The information and telecommunications minister of the 11th parliamentary government of Bangladesh Mostafa Zabbar blocked nearly 20,000 porn websites access in Bangladesh from November 2018 to February 2019. ^[15]

In 2025, a couple were arrested for producing, distributing and recruiting for intention of producing pornography under Pornography Control Act 2012.^[16]

Naila Nayem

Naila Nayem is a Bangladesh adult film actress regarded as the "Sunny Leone of Bangladesh."^[21] She is the first pornographic actor known to have been born in Bangladesh. Born on December 14, 1981, in Barisal, Bangladesh, she established her acting career by performing an item song in the film t. Naila began her career as a model and quickly rose to prominence. She initially used social media platforms to promote herself. Although she has mentioned that she never intended to use Facebook at first, it eventually became an important tool for her to build her brand. Over time, she became one of the most recognized faces in the Bangladeshi modeling industry, gaining widespread attention and securing numerous fashion and product endorsement deals. She acted in Bangla drama Ghat Babu Nitai Candra in 2013 which was based on Sunil Gangopadhyay's novel Ghat Babu.

As of 2019, Nayem lived in Aftabnagar, India.

Jazmin Chaudhry

Jazmin Chaudhary (better known as Jazmin) is a Bangladesh-born American adult film actress. She is the second pornographic actor known to have been born in Bangladesh.^{[22][23][24][25]} Born on May 15, 1985, in Chattogram, Bangladesh, she moved to the United States with her parents at a young age. There, at the age of 19, she came into pornographic acting.^{[22][23][24][25]} In her five year career between 2004 and 2008, she featured in over 90 films, and worked for Spiegler Girls^[26] (one of the most influential agencies in the adult film industry^[27]).^[24][25] At the 2005 AVN Awards Show (the top award in adult industry^[28]), Jazmin (credited as Jasmine) won the award of Best Group Sex Scene, Video for Orgy World: The Next Level 7 by Evasive Angles.^[29][30] Bangladesh Booty, the first Bangladesh-themed pornographic film was made with Jazmin in the lead.^{[22][23][24][25]} She retired from the adult industry in 2008 with a husband and a son.^[24][25]

Ria Barde

Bangladeshi citizen Ria Barde, also known as Arohi Barde, emerged as another figure in the adult film industry, having been internationally active until she was arrested in Maharashtra, India, on September 26, 2024, on charges of overstaying with forged documents.^{[31][32][33][34]}

Numi Zarah

Numi Zarah is an American-born Bangladesh adult film actress. Born on November 23, 1999, in Los Angeles, California, she was a problematic child from a young age. She expressed that she was never particularly interested in school and struggled with authority as a teenager, having been kicked out of high school several times ^[35]. Zarah was known to be rebellious during her youth, frequently getting into fights, and even attended a controversial wilderness program for troubled teens in California, which was later banned in the state. She has spoken candidly about the struggles she faced growing up, including complicated relationships with men and her father’s alcoholism, which influenced her initial exploration of domination as a form of emotional release.

At the age of 19, Numi began engaging in different forms of sex work, including financial domination, where she would control her clients through financial means. This work eventually led to opportunities in fashion modeling, where she was featured as a model for Vixen's clothing line. During this time, Zarah was also an early adopter of OnlyFans, one of the first 3,000 users of the platform, where she began making money and establishing her online presence.

Her experiences with modeling, combined with her growing following on social media, eventually led her to the adult film industry. In 2020, she made the decision to enter adult films, seeking new experiences and a way to confront her body image issues. Zarah has since become known for her natural look and body-positive message, often expressing that her imperfections make her relatable to viewers.

Numi Zarah's first adult film scene was for Net Video Girls, and she has since gained a following for her work in both mainstream adult films and BDSM scenes. Her first scene went viral, garnering millions of views.

Yasmina Khan

Yasmina Khan is a British-born Bangladesh adult film actress. Born on March 27, 1997, she is known by her stage name "The Bengali Goddess." She is a prominent British adult film actress, one of the leading figures in the UK's adult entertainment industry and refers to herself as "the UK's top adult star."^[36] Khan rose to fame for her performances in adult films and has garnered a dedicated following due to her distinctive presence and on-screen charisma. She has been recognized as one of the top adult stars in the UK, building a successful career over several years.

Khan has been open about suffering from a series of medical conditions, including endometriosis, adenomyosis, and a tilted cervix, all of which impact her personal life and career in adult entertainment. Khan revealed that during adult shoots, the physical demands of her job sometimes exacerbate her symptoms, leading to intense pain. Despite the challenges, she continues to work in the adult industry, acknowledging that while the job is painful, it is also something she enjoys. She described how her passion for her work sometimes overshadows the physical strain, although she has had to stop shoots due to the severity of the pain on multiple occasions.