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 A Research Monograph

On

Women Harassment in public transports at South Dhaka city in Bangladesh

Jagannath University

Course Name: Research Monograph (SOC - 3205)

Submitted To:
MD. ERSHADUL ISLAM
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR
DEPARTMENT OF SOCIOLOGY
Jagannath University, Dhaka-1100

Submitted By:

AHSANUL HAQUE
ID:- B170404041
3rd year 2nd semester (BSS)
DEPARTMENT OF SOCIOLOGY
Jagannath University, Dhaka-1100

DATE OF SUBMISSION: 02-01-2022

Abstract ………………………………………….. 5

Acknowledgement …………………………………… 6

Chapter One: Introduction 7-10

1.1 Introduction …………………....................................

1.2 Sociological Justification of the Study……………………

1.3 Research questions ………………………………………..

1.4 Research Objectives ……………………………………
1.5 Limitation of the study……………….………
1.6 Significance of the study……………….………

Chapter Two: Review of the Literature 11-13

2.1 Literature review …………………………………………

2.2 Research gap ……………………………………………….

Chapter Three: Theoretical Framework 14-15

3.1 Liberal feminism theory …………………………………

Chapter Four: Methodology of the Study 16-19

4.1 Methodology ………………………………………………….

4.2 Rationale of choosing mixed method …………………………………

4.3 Study area……………………………………………………………….

4.4 Study population…………………………………………………………

4.5 Sample procedure & sample size…………………………………………

4.6 Sources of data collection……………………………………………………

4.7 Technique of data collection…………………………………………………

4.8 Data collection instrument……………………………………………………

2
 4.9 Method of data processing & analysis…………………………

4.10 Ethical consideration………………………………………….

Chapter Five: Finding of the Study 20-25

A. Quantitative data analysis ……………………………….

B. Qualitative data analysis ……………………………….

Chapter Six: Discussion of the Study 26-28

6.1 Discussion …………………………………………

6.2 CONCLUSION ………………………………………

Appendix-1: 29-31

References: 32-33

3
 Approval Of Research Supervisor

………………………………

Md. Ershadul Islam (Assistant professor)

Department of sociology

Jagannath university, Dhaka-1100

4
Abstract:

The limitations that women face while riding through public transports in Dhaka
are depicted in this study. Buses are frequently packed due to insufficient and ineffective
management, resulting in a hostile and unsafe environment for passengers, particularly
women. Women are subjected to verbal or nonverbal harassment, unwelcoming touches, and,
in some cases, direct contact with the genital parts by fellow passengers or conductors, which
impedes personal and social development. The purpose of this research is to determine the
true cause of harassment, the types of harassment, the effects on the victim, and how to
address the issue of female harassment on public transit. To carry out this research, an
exploratory was carried out first to ascertain the truth, and 18 specific hypotheses were
generated using a structured questionnaire; data was collected from the target group and
evaluated using a statistical tool (SPSS). Multiple regressions demonstrate that a lack of
social justice and strong anti-female bus harassment protests had a significant impact on the
parameters studied. The findings of this article will aid the Bangladesh Road Transport
Corporation (BRTC), government policymakers, other women's organizations, and non-
governmental organizations (NGOs) in formulating policy that will promote a women-
friendly environment on public transportation.

5
Acknowledgement:

All appreciation goes to Almighty Allah who has given me the

chance and opportunity to finish the monograph. I would like to extend my whole hearted
thanks and gratitude to my supervisor Md. Ershadul Islam, Assistant professor, Department
of Sociology, Jagannath University, Dhaka-1100. From initial phase to end of the
monograph, I am grateful to him. Very often, he helped me to draw a perfect and effective
research proposal paper and also a research monograph. With due respect to him, he has
prepared an instruction guide for us which helps us very much. There is another respected
side. It was opened to knock him on the messenger or cell phone if there was any problem.
However, it is really appreciated and cordial. He has a helpful and cooperative mind that it's
different phase of monograph. Without his direction, it would be difficult to prepare my
research monograph. I am grateful and owe to him. He has always been there as a constant
source of support ,motivation ,encouragement and all kinds of positive energy. He took a lot
of patience to teach me and work with me so that I could conceptualize large idea and used in
my research. He help me designing the research and provide all the necessary guidelines
which helped me proceed faster to complete the research.

Finally, thanks to all of the respondents who gave their valuable time to response the
questionnaire as well as all the collaborators.

AHSANUL HAQUE
ID:- B170404041
3rd year 2nd semester (BSS)
DEPARTMENT OF SOCIOLOGY
Jagannath University, Dhaka-1100

6
 CHAPTER-01

INTRODUCTION

7
1.1 INTRODUCTION:
Most densely populated mega city Dhaka covers more than 1.5 crore people within an area of
only 1463.60 square km, and half of them are women (Bangladesh National statistics: 2019).
In Dhaka city, Bus is the highly used mode of transport regarding affordability, availability,
and maximum coverage area. The demand for transportation has increased at an exponential
rate. However, the demand is not met sufficiently with the currently provided transport
infrastructure, services, and management. Statistics shows that Dhaka is one of the least
motorized cities in the region with approximately 30 motorized vehicles per 1,000 residents
(STP Part-4: 2006). As a result, the daily life traveling picture by bus can be illustrated by
congestion and delay, high traffic jam, poor traffic management, etc. Among all of them, one
of the most unbearable troubles is inadequate transport system for the resident and lack of
suitable environment; particularly for women.

Under these circumstances, women are the victims of mental and physical harassment while
traveling by bus. Sometimes they experience sexually abusive situations in the bus or while
boarding and alighting from the bus. These incidents are hampering their daily life activities
that have a long-term effect on their personal lives as well as on the society construction and
contribution. Research have been done on scheduling, frequency, traveling cost, fare
collection, reliability, safety, comfort issues of Dhaka bus service system.

Customer satisfaction in public transit can be defined as the overall level of attainment of a
customer‟s expectations, measured as the percentage of the customer expectations, which
have actually been fulfilled (Tyrinopoulos, Antoniou: 2008). M. Shafiq Ur Rahman‟s paper
covered the points of public‟s experience and satisfaction level of this current bus journey,
and their overall expectations about bus services (Rahman: 2012). On the other hand, he also
discussed on „women only‟ bus service in another paper where he explored the existing route,
frequency, and service quality of the „women-only‟ bus and investigated why this service
could not survive in the past or lessons learnt from the previous failures (Rahman: 2010). The
transport services currently provided by the public and private buses are insecure, unreliable,
congested and unsafe. (Shefali: 2000). This study is a modest effort to focus on the terrible
environment of public transport, especially in regarding of women.

8
1.2 Sociological Justification of the Study:

Methods of sociological research are

often based on empirical, observational social sciences and are supplemented by legal
research. One of the few ways for a sexual harassment case to be recognized and researched
is for it to be published as a legal consequence, but there are many more legally protected
ways to keep cases and their outcomes hidden. Confidential settlements, nondisclosure
agreements, confidential notations in an academic or work record, and unwritten-down
complaint dispositions are all examples of outcomes that cannot be examined, recorded,
measured, or analyzed.

1.3 Research questions:

1. What are the important societal consequences of poor transportation in Dhaka?

2. What are the ramifications of insufficient resources? Considering the impact of poor
transportation on urban areas Dhaka like?

1.4 Research Objectives:

The objective of this research is to assess of harassment in

public transports. Behind this research the main purpose is to know about what kind of
injustices are happiness in our public transports with women.

 To assess the prevalence of harassment experienced through women.

 To look for various types of harassment.
 To focus on the factors that help to prevent that occurrence.
 To identify why the harassment against women is increasing day after day.

1.5 Limitation of the study:

“Every study has more or less limitation in regard to timing,

cost and staffing” (Karon, 1971). Simply expressed, a limitation is any flaw that has an
impact on a study's results. They are a standard feature of any study, whether it be
observational or cross-sectional. This study has some limitation too. This study was
completed in a short amount of time by considering some open and close ended questionnaire

9
and a small sample size. Here are some sensitive questions to which women prefer not to
respond. The research requires sufficient time and financial support, but obtaining financial
support as a student researcher is difficult.

In addition, the study was limited to women living at South Dhaka city which narrowed the
focus group. By increasing the number of objectives and collecting more victim samples in
the public transport system, more trustworthy and authentic research could be conducted.
Furthermore research should include female volunteers from the country's division level to
determine the state of Bangladesh's public transportation system.

1.6 Significance of the study:

This is one of the most essential issues since women contribute
significantly to national progress. How will they be able to conduct their jobs correctly if their safety
is not properly ensured? This research report will assist in understanding the current scenario and
determining how to avoid it. It will encourage individuals to speak out against violence and
harassment towards women. If someone wishes to undertake more research on this topic, it can be
used as secondary data.

10
 CHAPTER-02

LITERATURE REVIEW

11
2.1 Literature Review:
Harassment of women on public transportation is a global issue that
affects not only Bangladesh but the entire world. Many countries, including Bangladesh, have
recently been hit hard by this problem. Being harassed can encompass both mental, verbal,
and nonverbal (mental, verbal, or nonverbal) as well as physical harassment. Teasing, using
abusive remarks, pointing fingers at women's attire, gazing, and making negative body
language gestures are all examples of mental harassment. It's quite inconvenient for a female.
Intentional touching, sexual assault, and touching their private parts are all examples of
physical harassment.

This type of situation is a woman's worst fear. Many women choose to choose an educational institution or a
profession that is closer to their home so that they do not have to take the bus. This remark partially explains
why harassment is becoming more prevalent. Because the majority of women tend to keep silent after
harassment, perpetrators have more opportunities to commit these crimes because they know that women will
say nothing and will remain silent. If all women raised their voices against the harasser
immediately after the harassment and followed the law, the number of harassment events may
be reduced. According to a recent research by Action Aid Bangladesh titled "Freedom to
Move: Women's Experience of Urban Public Transportation in Bangladesh," 84 percent of
the female passengers surveyed said they had experienced verbal and physical sexual
harassment.

At a meeting titled "Safe Cities and Public Space for Women's Empowerment," the study's
findings were presented. According to the study, 88 percent of women have experienced
verbal or physical harassment while out conducting errands, and 62 percent of them claim to
limit their movement and adhere to strict timetables while they are alone. Alarmingly, 81
percent of them failed to report to authorities. Many young ladies in old Dhaka are sexually
harassed by their family members within their homes. According to the report of Bangladesh
Mohila Paris had (BMP), approximately 87% of females face sexual aggravation inside home
by their family members, though awareness against sexual harassment should be raised from
there first. According to a 2018 BRAC survey, 94 percent of women in public transportation
encounter some form of physical, sexual, or verbal harassment. Following harassment,
approximately 46% were persuaded to wear the hijab, 21% curtailed their use of public
transportation, and 8% quit their jobs or outside work. This is a concerning finding. Because

12
94 percent means that only 6% of women are not subjected to harassment, while the
remaining 94% are. But why is the figure so large? Who are the folks who are committing
this heinous act?

The startling findings of the BRAC study revealed that males aged 41 to 60 were identified as
main perpetrators. According to the study, the absence of enforcement of the law, a large
crowd in the bus, and a monitoring device such as a CCTV camera provided offenders greater
opportunities to commit this offense. But, the question is, is it solely on the basis of these
deficiencies? Isn't it also dependent on the brains of our society's men?

2.2 Research Gap:

Few studies have been undertaken to determine the causes of women harassment in public
transportation. The reasons of the perpetrators have been investigated in some indepth way.
Online-based several kind of survey have conducted before. The research also pinpoints the
reason why bus stops and stations are dangerous. Also discusses some of the obstacles and
challenges that women experience when using public transportation. But it is a matter of
kinky outcome these are not capable to stop women harassment in public transportation.

13
 CHAPTER-03

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

14
3.1 Theoretical framework:

Liberal feminism is simply the treatment of women and men on an equal footing.
Reproductive and abortion rights, sexual harassment, voting rights, education, inexpensive
childcare, and cheap health care are some of the primary topics of liberal feminism. Women's
legal rights, job opportunities, and education should be equal to men's. Women who work 41
to 44 hours per week earn 84.6 percent of what males do at the same time. Women who work
more than 60 hours per week earn only 78.3% of what men do in the same time frame.

Child care is one area where Liberal Feminists say that it is learnt rather than innate. When a
father is obliged to care for a child on his own, this is demonstrated. He is capable of doing
so, but if a woman is there, it is considered that she is superior at child care, so she is
normally in charge of the child. The idea that boys should be manly and girls should be
feminine is still prevalent in the media. Being forceful (a masculine attribute) is appreciated
higher than being emotional (a feminine trait). Liberal feminists want to instill in children a
nonsexist socialization. Liberal feminism mainly focuses on equality, women‟s career and
women empowerment like men. This study also focuses on women defense (career) and
empowerment.

15
 CHAPTER-04

METHODOLOGY OF THE STUDY

16
4.1 Methodology:

Quantitative and qualitative research are the two most important

types of study. The nature of the research, the availability of information, time, money, and
sources all influence which approaches a researcher will choose. Some researchers conduct
qualitative, mixed method, or qualitative research. Which approach will choose depend on
nature of research, availability of information, time, money and sources. Some researchers
are uses either qualitative, qualitative or mixed method research. Researchers would like to
use mixed method for study.

In Recent era researchers prefer to conduct their research using a mixed method approach.
This research is utilized Qualitative method including structured case study to collect data. In
this chapter methodology and design of the study including determination of study the
victims, measurement of the variables, data collection, data analysis have been explain to
gain an insight about the whole methodological procedure of this research work. Because this
topic is very sensual. So, it can‟t be studied openly. It have to collect by communicating with
the victims and then it will be analysed which data will be granted. To investigate this matter
it has been chosen by case study method. For conducting case study structure questionnaire
consisting of some questions was developed. The study area represents at South Dhaka city in
Bangladesh. Respondents were interviewed at their residence, at their education and their
workplace. The data gathering instrument is a structured questionnaire consisting of open and
close ended questions in line with the objectives of the study.

The researcher analyzed the research issue using both primary and secondary data in
this study. The qualitative method is included in the methodology. The researcher used the
qualitative method to conduct content analysis based on articles, academic papers as well as
newspaper. Two essential forms of research are quantitative and qualitative.

4.2 Rationale of choosing mixed method:

In order to quantify respondent opinion and clarify their statement this study would like to
use quantitative and qualitative approach which is called mixed method. By using mixed
methods it is possible to find out actual information.

17
4.3 Study area:

The study has been conducted at South Dhaka city in Bangladesh .

4.4 Study population:

The population of the study is all women who are frequently use public transport and
experienced harassment.

4.5 Sampling procedures and sample size:

A small sample of 30 women was recorded with convenience sampling. Most of them are
student, a few are employee women. All of them are above 18 and below 40.

4.6 Sources of data collection:

Primary data sources:

As main data, a modest online survey was conducted among various women to learn their
perspectives on harassment in public transportation. The researcher posed some open-ended
and multiple-choice questions to elicit a key notion from the participants. It was more like a
series of semi-structured inquiries. The same questions were asked to all interviewees. The
interview began with greetings before gradually moving on to the questions.

Secondary data sources:

As a secondary sources of data articles, research paper, survey etc. have been used.

4.7 Technique of data collection:

This study follows mixed questionnaire with combining both of question and case study.

4.8 Data collection instruments:

Questionnaire was used as the main of data collection instrument. A structured question with
a series of close and open ended questions was used for collecting data. The language of the
questions was only English because all the respondents were graduate level students as well
as govt. employee Here I made 31 questions for respondents. The data has collected from 52
respondents who are married. I also used checklist for qualitative data collection procedure.

18
4.9 Method of data processing and analysis:

According to objectives, collected information has been analysed. For clarifying data the
result has been presented according to tables, calculating percentages with description.

4.10 Ethical consideration:

The ethical consideration is a key part of a research. Researchers must maintain the ethical
issue during data collection, description, analysis as well as tabulation. In this study
researchers assured respondents security and promised them to secure their information
which were mentioned by the researcher before data collection. During the research project
some information has needed to be hide because it may be ashamed other women. A
researcher can‟t crush others privacy.

19
 CHAPTER-05

FINDINGS AND ANALYSIS OF THE STUDY

20
A. Quantitative data analysis:

Table 01
Demographic Profile of Respondents (%)
Age Group Respondents Percentage Total

15-22 15 50
23-30 10 33.33
31-38 5 16.67 30
Respondents Status
Students 25 83.33 30
Women Worker 5 16.67

Age Profile:
Overall, the sample respondents are very young, with 50% of them in the age
group 15-22 years. 33.33% of the overall respondents belong to the middle age group of 23-
30 years and rest of the respondents about 16.67% belong to the age group of 31-38 years.

Respondent’s Status:
Conducting the Google form survey basically
Education/Employment wise, the respondents were more or less evenly divided among
students 83.33%, working women 16.67 %.

Table 02
Types of
using Public
Transports
Transports Name Number of Percent
user
Local Bus 22 73.33
Leguna 3 10
Rickshaw 5 16.67
Total 30 100
21
Demographic Profile Of Types Of Using Transports:

The demographic profile covers the ration of respondent‟s Education/Employment and age
on the basis characteristics of respondents as illustrated in Table 02. The analysis reveals the
transport choices of different segment of the population. This section describe the features of
public transport usages by female commuters at South Dhaka City. Following Table 02, the
largest share of types using public transport is local bus. Survey shows that about 73.33%
women use local bus on regular 3 basis, 10% of total numbers use Leguna, 16.67% women
use Rickshaw.

The Nature of Women’s Experiences When Travelling:

The initial quantitative analysis found that the women viewed the use of paid transport as an
essential but highly unsafe activity. The entire sample (100%) indicated that access to
transport affected their ability to study or work, while 3.0% reported that they „always‟ felt
safe while travelling, 11.5% „very often‟, 53.5% „sometimes‟, 21.5% „rarely‟ and 10.5%
„never‟ indicating that these experiences were shared across all participants. The pervasive
nature of participants‟ sense of fear was mirrored in quotes, such as the one below:

In the context of our country, the everyday travel is not safe enough. Because crimes like
road crashes, stealing, bag snatching, sexual harassment, physical assaults, stalking, and
threats are common here. Participants commonly used words such as „unsafe‟, „worried‟,
„helpless‟, „vulnerable‟, „afraid‟ and „scared‟ when describing their journeys. Some
participants ascribed a persistent nature to their fears: „I have a fear all the time‟ and „due to
collisions and men‟s abusive behavior, I feel scared all the time‟. Many also described a
sense that the situation was deteriorating and that the Bangladeshi government was incapable
of ensuring the security and safety of its citizens.

This sentiment in itself contributed to the sense of dread and fear that was felt by many of the
women:

I can be a victim of any kind of traffic crash anytime. The government could not ensure
people‟s safety and security properly. Previously, I had only fear of having my bag snatched.
However, nowadays I feel anxiety whenever I go outside. Broadly, women‟s concerns when
travelling could be organized into three separate categories. When queried about what aspect
of their travels and what particular part of their journey made them feel unsafe, Gender Based
violence (GBV) was cited as a concern by 49.0%, other forms of harassment and crime were
mentioned by 54.0% of the sample, and the risk of traffic and non-traffic related injury was
mentioned by 55.0% (45.5% specifically describing traffic injuries).

An additional 11.0% stated that they were worried, without specifying the nature of their
concerns (e.g., „I am scared of the unsafe environment around us‟). When describing their

22
fears of GBV, many women made reference to their own experiences while travelling.
Although some did not elaborate on the nature of their abuse, others spoke of being
subjected to groping, stalking, Eve teasing and other verbal abuse, for instance: „victim of
Eve teasing while walking,
men‟s intentional physical touch‟ „One man always stalks me that makes me uncomfortable‟
and „I have to hear bad comments from the back. This will start even in front of my house.

This abuse was encountered on the streets as well as from other male passengers on paid
transport. The participants also spoke of the general risk of GBV that was associated with
travel in Dhaka and how these instances were becoming more common:

There is a group of Eve teasers who hang around on my way. Often, they make sexually
abusive
comments. In addition to that, the occurrence of rape, physical assaults have been increasing
in recent time. Therefore, I feel this way. In addition to GBV, examples of other forms of
harassment and crime were given, most commonly theft (bag snatching was mentioned by
48.0% of participants).

The Underlying Mechanism of Crime and Gender-Based Violence:

Quotes outlining the particular way in which different factors contributed to the risk of
criminal activity, harassment and GBV were identified and analysed separately. While such
quotes were relatively limited in the dataset, they nonetheless indicated that the area and type
of transport, the time of the day and the number of people that were present were linked to
the risk of incidents. Participants spoke of „narrow lanes‟ as high-risk areas (narrow laneways
are common in urban Bangladesh). These lanes were often empty, particularly after dark, and
sometimes a gathering place for drug users. The fear of places where there were few or no
other people present extended beyond these narrow lanes to include main roads (late at night)
and buses: „currently, there are many incidents that have been occurring in the empty bus‟ by
„empty‟, they would be referring to passengers, as buses often have conductors as well
as drivers, and incidents involving conductors and drivers have been reported.

Presumably, the presence of witnesses could act as a deterrent to criminal activity. Moreover,
if attacks occurred, bystanders might offer assistance, provided they can be „capable
guardians‟, as noted by Valan (2020) in research on sexual harassment on public transport in
India. One participant reported a perception along these lines:

There are many passengers in the buses. Therefore, there is minimum risk of unacceptable
incidents, like sexual assaults, bag snatching, physical assaults. In the case of an occurrence,
it is possible to get help from others. As most participants (94.5%) travelled alone, they were
particularly exposed to GBV and criminal activity when walking. Almost all participants
(98.5%) walked as part of their journey, and among those that did, 4.1% reported that they
„always‟ felt safe when walking, 23.0% „very often‟, 53.1% „sometimes‟, 13.8% „rarely‟ and
6.1% „never‟.

No posed a problem for the women, so could crowded areas. This duality is exemplified in
the quote below:

I feel the most unsafe from Gulistan to Mirpur Majar Road. On the other hand, Mirpur Majar
Road is very crowded and most of Previous research has described the spatial and temporal

23
dimensions associated with GBV in transit environments, linking groping to crowded buses
and rape to empty bus stops, for instance (Ding, Loukaitou-Sideris and Agrawal 2020). While
these dimensions were similarly noted here, a clear pattern linking certain types of crime to
certain areas or modes of transport was not evident—likely due to the relative spars of quotes
directly addressing these aspects.

B. Qualitative data analysis:

Case study 01:

A college going girl told her experience into the Daily Observer as mentioned
"Once I was getting down from the bus and the conductor willingly came to help me. As the
bus jerked I tried to keep my balance by grabbing hold of the door of the bus and suddenly he
entered his hands under my armpit and tried to squeeze my private part. I was just stunned
and couldn‟t understand what to do. Thanks to Allah the bus stopped and finally my woe
came to an end. I was able to get down from the bus, I am still frightened when I travel
through any public transport.

Case study 02:

Shahnaz Parvin a student of public university also describe her experience as follows-
Sometimes men sit next to me intentionally, and stare at me as if I am a sexual object. Someti
mesthey tryto come closer to me as if they did it by mistake.That's nothing less than to be hu
miliated physically,"Not only the male passenger, but also the helpers harassed the women pa
ssengers as well.touches the girl intentionally while collecting money or when the women try
to get on the bus.
In 2009, the High Court issued directives on sexual harassments but effective measures were
not taken to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace and educational institutions.There ar
e many articles based on this issue, almost every day at least an article can be found regarding
women being harassed in public transport but the number of proper study is still very less.

24
NGO‟s like Brack , Action Aid has done study on this but the availability and consequences
of research paper based on this issue was less.

Case study 03:

"35 percent of respondents using public transportation reported they were
sexually harassed by males between the ages of 19 and 35," according to Rods free of sexual
harassment and crashes for women. Around 59 percent of respondents said they had been
harassed by males between the ages of 26 and 40. Deliberate touching of the victim's body
with the chest and other parts of the body, pinching, standing too close to the victim and
pushing, touching of the victims' hair, putting hand on their shoulder, and touching private
parts of the victims are examples of sexual harassment experienced by the respondents. In
response to the question, "What do women do when they are harassed like this?" "81 percent
of women claimed they remained silent, while 79 percent said they left the harassing
location."

25
 CHAPTER- 06

CONCLUTION & DISCUSSIONS

26
6.1 DISCUSSIONS:

Discussions reveal two sides of the story: on the one hand, women are
being sexually harassed in various ways, and on the other hand, law enforcement is
disturbingly oblivious to such instances. If the surrounding environment was supportive and
welcoming, we might have a little of complaints from adult girls about sexual harassment.
Such In contemporary society, difficulties are fairly widespread, and the majority of people
are mainly unconcerned about them.

Most of our young girls face such issues at various stages of their lives; some face such
incidents at an early age when they are unable to distinguish between harassment and other
problems; others face such problems in places that used to be safe-zones for them, such as
educational institutions, homes, or relatives' homes. They frequently tell their parents about
these situations, or they are simply too embarrassed to do so. Even parents, after hearing the
case, never return to the courthouse to resolve the issue because, in our society, most people
regard such concerns as minor and do not wish to pursue them further. They also believe that
their social and family relationships will be harmed. They see such issues as a flaw in their
child's character and choose to remain silent. They believe that if they raise their voices, she,
as well as their family, will be revealed, and society will continue to stigmatize her. As a
result, the girl would have social difficulties.

There have only been a few cases filed in our courtroom. Why, despite the fact that this is a
very widespread problem, does it not come to the attention of the legal system more
frequently? That is the most important question. There are a slew of regulations in
Bangladesh aimed at eliminating sexual harassment from our society. The Dhaka
Metropolitan Police Ordinance of 1976 was the first to handle public sexual harassment,
which was referred to as "eve teasing." This statute allows for imprisonment for up to one
year, as well as a fine of up to Tk. 2,000, or both. But having no jurisdiction outside their
respective metropolitan areas, these ordinances have made the offence wholly a local and
urban one. In our core criminal law which is the Penal Code of 1860, there is no provision
regarding such matter but Bangladesh government has enacted a special act named
Prevention of Oppression against Women and Children Act 2000 (amended in 2003) which
came down heavily on the oppressors of women. According to section-10, whoever to satisfy
his sexual urge illegally, touches the sexual organ or any other organ of a woman or a child
with any organ of his body or with any substance, his act shall be said to be sexual oppression
and he shall be punished with imprisonment for either description which may extend to 10
years but not less than 3 years of rigorous imprisonment and also with fine.

These are the relevant sections and punishments, which is laid down in the Act. According to
section 14, it is also stated that,“any news, information or name & address or any other
information regarding any offence under such Act, committed or any legal proceedings where
a woman or a child is the victim, shall not be published or presented as the acquaintance of
the woman or the child shall be disclosed.” 22 So, we can see from the above information
that, according to section 10 of the Act, women are having protections and the punishment
for the offenders is quite rigorous. The victims of such harassments will also be liable to get
special treatment and their identities must not be disclosed publicly as well. But most of the
people are not aware of these protective measures. But more strict laws should be designed to
ensure the protection measures easy. These laws aren‟t sufficient to deal with current
situation.

27
6.2 CONCLUSION:

It is the family's job to raise their children in such a way that they
comprehend the concept of sexual harassment and its implications. We need to create
awareness among parents and family members in the old part of Dhaka city, who are
conservative by nature, because they are the ones who should deal with such issues right
away. If children have any concerns about sexual harassment, they should talk to their parents
about it. Because it has been seen that occasionally women do not receive assistance or help
from their family members, and instead, family members frequently blame the victim for her
situation. As a result, parents must be open and honest, as well as be aware of the proper
protective measures that are available to ensure protection and justice for young women in
old Dhaka who are victims of sexual harassment. Institutions from the old part of the city
must be more cautious and supportive of their students so that they can share and seek
assistance if female students are victims of sexual harassment.

To address this worrying issue, each educational and other institution should establish a
separate sexual harassment monitoring cell or group of employees to deal with such issues.
Every educational institution, as well as police stations, should have a specialist, psychiatrist,
or counselor on staff who can meet with victims on a weekly basis to learn about their
traumas and create a cordial relationship so that these issues may be easily identified. Every
organization should have a legal memorandum in which the norms for staff behavior are put
out, and if a complaint is made, the accused person should be suspended promptly and the
situation properly probed.

They must also report the incident to the committee and the police station. The Ministry of
Women and Children Affairs must devote full attention to the issue and organize several
workshops or campaigns to enhance public awareness. The government should publicize the
existing harsh rules not only to raise public knowledge, but also to limit victimization. The
government is responsible for informing citizens about sexual violence. They may take steps
to publicize, through electronic and print media, the behaviors or conducts that constitute a
sexual assault offense, so that the general public, particularly women, are aware of the
offense and its consequences.

The government's distribution may also be beneficial in deterring perpetrators from

committing similar sexual offenses. Building awareness can be an effective and restricting
tool in the fight against sexual violence. Finally, a social consensus must be established so
that victims of sexual harassment in old Dhaka, particularly young women, are socially
protected, and an environment is created in which they are no longer afraid to come to the
courthouse to file a complaint or seek legal advice from a lawyer of their choice. As a result,
this is unquestionably a serious national issue that must be addressed with the utmost
importance and urgency. However, as everyone knows, the only way to solve any situation is
to intervene deeply on case to case basis and based on findings; take action to draw a
sustainable solution accordingly. And to address such a burning issue like sexual harassment
on young women at Dhaka, we are in need of identifying alleged cases, measure authenticity
and take sustainable corrective actions accordingly.

28
Appendixes-01:

Questionnaire for Women Harassment in public transports at South Dhaka city in

Bangladesh:

 Wards Name:
Gandaria,Kotwali,Sutrapur,Lalbagh,Bangsal,Jatrabari,Wari,Ramna,Chawkbazar

Name: Age:

Education/Employment

……………………

What kind of transport you have to use every day for travel?

…………………………………..…………………………..

What is your family pattern?

 Joint
 Extended
 small

How many days you use public transport in a week?

 1-3 days
 3-5 days
 5-7 days

How much your total monthly personal income?

…………………………………..…………………………..

Do you think the inadequate transport facilities are degrading your security? If yes, How?

…………………………………..…………………………..

29
Do you face abusive behavior due to inadequate transport facilities?

…………………………………..…………………………..

Have you ever called for help in an emergency situation?

…………………………………..…………………………..

Which types of harassment you experienced before?

…………………………………..…………………………..

What are the problems you face while going to your work place through a public transport?

…………………………………..…………………………..

Do you live far away from your family? What are the

travel-related obstacles you face to meet with your

family?

…………………………………..…………………………..

Describe the condition of the footpath and pavement

of your area.

………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………..…………………………..

Describe the attitude of drivers and contractor in the

transport in your area?

………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………..…………………………..

Are the bus stoppage and the station safe in your area? If unsafe, what are the causes?

…………………………………..…………………………..

30
Do you face different problems on the street and in public transport because of a women?
What are the causes behind it you think or encounter?

…………………………………..…………………………..

What is your marital status?

 Married
 Separated or Divorced
 Single, Never Married
 Widowed

Do you stay with your family?

 Yes
 No

What is your Religion?

 Islam
 Hindu
 Christian
 Other

Do you have any local guardian?

 Yes
 No

Did you get support in an emergency situation?

…………………………………..…………………………..

Which steps will be effective against that occurrence?

…………………………………..………………………….

31
REFERENCES:

Mazumder, H., & Pokharel, B. (2019). Sexual violence on public transportation: A threat to women’s
mobility in Bangladesh. Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment & Trauma, 28(8), 1017-1019.

Nahar, P., Van Reeuwijk, M., & Reis, R. (2013). Contextualising sexual harassment of adolescent
girls in Bangladesh. Reproductive health matters, 21(41), 78-86.

King, J., King, M., Edwards, N., Carroll, J. A., Watling, H., Anam, M., ... & Oviedo-Trespalacios, O.
(2021). Exploring Women’s Experience of Gender-Based Violence and Other Threats to Safety on
Public Transport in Bangladesh. International journal for crime, justice and social democracy, 10(4),
158-173.

Haq, F. (2019). SEXUAL HARASSMENT ON YOUNG WOMEN IN OLD DHAKA: A REFLECTION ON

REALITIES. IMPACT: International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Literature (IMPACT:
IJRHAL), 7, 1-14.

Rahman, M. S. U. (2010). Bus service for ‘Women only’in Dhaka city: An investigation. Journal of
Bangladesh Institute of Planners ISSN, 2075, 9363.

Rahman, M. S. U., & Nahrin, K. (2012). Bus services in Dhaka City-users’ experiences and
opinions. Journal of Bangladesh Institute of Planners ISSN, 2075(4), 9363.

Abdullah, A. (2016). Problems in Public Transport of Dhaka City. European Journal of Social and
Human Sciences, (2), 61-66.

Wronska, A. (2018). The place of women in public space: a case study of street harassment in
Bangladesh.

Gekoski, A., Gray, J. M., Horvath, M. A., Edwards, S., Emirali, A., & Adler, J. R. (2015). 'What works'
in reducing sexual harassment and sexual offences on public transport nationally and internationally:
a rapid evidence assessment.

Rouf, K. B. A., Hossain, D. M., & Hossain, M. (2019). Female passengers' perception on the service
quality of public bus services: an exploratory study on Dhaka City, Bangladesh. International Journal
of Gender Studies in Developing Societies, 3(2), 99-125.

Department of Women and Gender Studies, University of Dhaka, 'Sexual Harassment At

Work: Experiences With TwoDevelopment Organizations In Bangladesh' (Department of
Women and Gender Studies, University of Dhaka 2006).

32
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'Over 34 Percent Girls Aged 10 To 14 Sexually Harassed In Bangladesh' (Bdnews24.com,

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accessed 2 February 2019.

33

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