For women in Dhaka, boarding a bus has become a daily gamble. Overcrowded vehicles, constant groping and verbal abuse turn commuting into a relentless fight for safety, dignity, and basic mobility.
Faiza Fairuz, a student at the University of Dhaka, described the ordeal as an escalating fight for basic dignity. “I’ve been taking local buses since I was about 12 or 13, and things have only gotten worse,” she shared.
Since the pandemic, she feels harassment has become more frequent and aggressive. During rush hours, Faiza is constantly on guard, forced to keep her arms folded, ready to protect herself.
“I’ve caught men’s hands on me so many times that I’ve lost count,” she said wearily.
The escalating aggression became starkly visible in a recent incident captured on video, where a man physically assaulted a woman on a moving bus, reportedly because she was not wearing a scarf.
Nujia Hasin Rasha, a friend of the victim, confirmed to TIMES that the man verbally harassed her over her clothing before assaulting her when she protested. Though the victim fought back by hitting him with her shoes, she is reportedly mentally traumatised and seeking a safe space.
The alarming scale of the crisis
The frequency of these incidents is supported by a study conducted by BRAC found that 94% of women using public transport in Bangladesh have experienced verbal, physical, or other forms of sexual harassment.
The study identified men aged 41–60 as responsible for 66% of these incidents, noting that overcrowding often facilitates physical abuse. Most women reported either staying silent (81%) or moving away (79%) in response to harassment, indicating limited recourse.
Professor Tania Haque from the Department of Women and Gender Studies at the University of Dhaka states that the lack of consequences has made buses a “special zone” for harassers.
“It is crucial to hold harassers legally accountable, because without any form of accountability, their behaviour will continue relentlessly,” she told TIMES of Bangladesh, noting the lack of specific, easily enforceable public transport anti-harassment laws to address the spectrum of “Eve-teasing” behaviours.
Systemic negligence and zero accountability
Women’s rights advocates argue that the severity of harassment directly threatens women’s right to mobility, impacting their access to daily life’s work and education.
“Women’s right to mobility is under threat. When they face or protest harassment, they are often blamed. This limits their freedom and violates fundamental rights,” said Maleka Banu, General Secretary of Bangladesh Mahila Parishad. She also expressed concern regarding the institutional response to these crimes.
“From the government or administrative side, there is no strong response or clear message when such incidents occur. This reflects a certain negligence toward protecting women’s rights,” she added.
Transport shortage and stalled solutions
The safety crisis is linked to the public transport shortage in Dhaka. According to the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) approximately 4,500 vehicles are operating across 110 active routes. The city still falls short of the 7,043 vehicles. This deficit exacerbates the overcrowding that enables physical harassment.
Government initiatives aimed at providing safer transport have faced sustainability issues. BRTC’s “Women-Only” buses maintain a small fleet on limited, peak-hour routes, failing to meet the demand. Pink Buses, introduced as a women-friendly option, also struggle with limited routes, high costs, and operator resistance.
Additionally, the Bus Route Rationalisation plan under Dhaka Nagar Paribahan has reportedly stalled, impacting efforts to organise and improve the sector.
Government-led initiatives aimed at providing safe transport for women in Dhaka have struggled to sustain. BRTC’s “Women-Only” buses run a small fleet on limited routes during peak hours, failing to meet high demand.
DTCA Executive Director Neelima Akhter said that the government is planning bus route rationalisation and a meeting with the bus owners’ association to improve the sector. She also stated that while BRTC currently offers some women-specific buses, broader plans are in place to enhance safety for all female commuters.
Women’s rights advocates and activists have called for greater public awareness, prominent display of hotline numbers in vehicles, and active intervention from both passengers and transport operators to ensure women’s safety and restore full mobility rights.
