by Zahida Parvez Chhanda (Dhaka Bureau)
Although the economic participation of women in Bangladesh- a rapidly developing South Asian nation- is globally acclaimed, their primary mode of daily commute, ‘public transport,’ remains a major psychological and physical barrier for women and young girls. Commuting for women in the capital city of Dhaka continues to be unsafe, uncomfortable, and plagued by harassment.
At a high-level discussion held recently in the capital, experts, women’s rights activists, and transport sector representatives stated clearly that merely introducing ‘separate buses’ for women is not a permanent solution to this crisis. Instead, it is imperative to build an overall public transport system that is safe, humane, and women-friendly.
The discussion, titled ‘Safety and Experience of Women in Public Transport’, was organized jointly by the Dhaka Transport Co-ordination Authority (DTCA) and the Bangladesh Nari Sangbadik Kendra (Bangladesh Women Journalist Center) on Wednesday (May 20).
Daily Commute: An Invisible War
According to research survey data from the DTCA, a vast majority of working women and female students rely on buses every day. However, from boarding the bus to reaching their destinations, they face various forms of harassment and insecurity throughout the entire journey.
Highlighting the silent struggle of women, Nasimun Ara Haque Minu, President of the Bangladesh Nari Sangbadik Kendra, said, ‘Although public transport is supposed to be open to all, in reality, women have to travel through terrifying experiences every day. Incidents like groping, intentional touching, and sexual harassment, taking advantage of overcrowded buses have become everyday occurrences.’
She further added that due to social taboos, many women cannot even share these traumatic experiences with their families, which severely jeopardizes their mental health. To sustain the country’s sustainable development, she demanded that explicit codes of conduct, helpline numbers, and punishments for harassment be visibly displayed in every bus.
Structural Crisis and Multidimensional Insecurity
Transport experts believe that this insecurity for women is not confined to the four walls of a bus. Dr. Asif-uz-Zaman Khan, Professor of the Department of Urban and Regional Planning at Jahangirnagar University, noted, ‘Women are not only unsafe inside the buses, but they also suffer from a sense of insecurity while waiting at bus stops, boarding or alighting, and walking back home from the bus stop.’
To ensure smooth and uninterrupted travel for women, experts proposed several structural changes:
* Technological Surveillance: Installation of CCTV cameras in every bus.
* Infrastructure Development: Ensuring effectively reserved seats for women, separate entrance and exit doors on buses, safe sidewalks, and well-lit bus stops.
* Improving the Work Environment: Providing a safe environment and necessary toilet facilities for female counter-workers in the transport sector (which are currently almost non-existent).
Government Initiatives and Challenges in Transformation
The government is working to bring gender equality to the transport sector and increase women’s employment, stated Dr. Md. Mashiur Rahman, Executive Director of the DTCA. He mentioned that initiatives are being taken to increase the number of female drivers and female conductors (helpers). However, he pointed out two major obstacles to this initiative: first, the shortage of skilled female drivers, and second, the negative social attitude towards female drivers.
Md. Saiful Alam, a representative of the transport sector, and Nilima Akhter, former Executive Director of the DTCA, believe that merely increasing the number of female staff will not solve the crisis unless male drivers and helpers are regularly provided with gender-sensitivity training and held accountable.
Pressenza Perspective: A Coordinated Effort is the Solution
This scenario in Dhaka makes it clear that even if infrastructural development and GDP growth are achieved, social development will remain elusive as long as basic civic amenities like public transport are unsafe for half the population.
According to the speakers, to overcome this crisis, the police, law enforcement agencies, transport owner-worker associations, and city corporations must work together. Alongside the strict enforcement of laws, there needs to be a shift in mindset to view public transport not just as a ‘commercial venture’ but as a ‘humane service.’ Only then will Dhaka transform into a livable and egalitarian city.
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The Writer:
Zahida Parvez Chhanda: Senior Journalist and Staff Correspondent, Pressenza- Dhaka Bureau.
