In Dhaka, surviving the road is almost part of daily life. People leave home early knowing they will spend hours stuck in traffic, hanging from bus doors, or squeezing into overcrowded trains. Public transport is messy, exhausting and unreliable, but for most people, there is no alternative. For women, however, the struggle is different. Their journey is marked by fear, anxiety, harassment and silent endurance.
For thousands of women, getting on a bus is not just about reaching a destination. It is about staying alert the entire journey. Watching who is standing too close. Avoiding certain seats, pretending not to notice uncomfortable touches. Sometimes, even planning what clothes to wear based on how crowded the bus might be.
For women from lower and middle-income families, avoiding public transport is rarely an option. Ride-sharing services or women-only transport are often too expensive to use regularly. Many are already struggling to afford rent, food and education. As a result, they continue boarding overcrowded buses and packed trains despite knowing the risks.
Noor (pseudonym), 23, recalled an incident that still makes her angry.
“As usual, I was travelling on a public bus when I suddenly felt someone touching me inappropriately,” she said. “I immediately stood up and shouted. Other passengers understood what was happening and forced the man to get off the bus.”
But that was it. The man got down and walked away. No punishment, no police complaint, no consequences. That is what many women say hurts the most: the feeling that these incidents are treated as normal.
Tanisha, a student at Eden Mohila College, shared a similar experience from a crowded train. “I was trying to get inside, and everybody was pushing,” she said. “A man standing behind me kept pressing against me for no reason.”
She stopped speaking for a moment before quietly adding, “I could not say anything. I just tolerated it.”
That silence is something many women understand too well. Some stay quiet because they are scared. Some fear being blamed. Others simply want the journey to end as quickly as possible.
A university student described an even more disturbing incident. She noticed a schoolgirl sleeping beside her on a bus while a man nearby was behaving inappropriately toward the child. After a long pause, she said softly, “Passengers just told him to get off the bus, and he left.”
Stories like these are so common that many women now talk about them as an unavoidable part of travelling. According to studies, around 90 per cent of women in Bangladesh have experienced some form of sexual harassment while using public transport. Most incidents happen on buses. In many cases, the harassment comes from fellow passengers. Sometimes conductors are involved. Even drivers have been accused, and at times, the violence becomes far more brutal.
In January 2026, a college student was reportedly raped on a moving bus on the Dhaka-Tangail highway by the driver and his two helpers. Before that, the rape and murder of Rupa by bus staff shocked the country and sparked nationwide protests. Yet years later, women still say they feel unsafe while travelling alone.
One major problem is the lack of proper enforcement. Bangladesh has laws against violence and harassment toward women, including the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act, 2000, but there is no specific law focused entirely on harassment inside public transport. Because of that, many incidents go unreported, while offenders often escape without serious punishment.
Transport experts and rights activists have repeatedly said that conditions can improve if authorities take proper steps. More buses and trains could reduce overcrowding. Better monitoring, CCTV cameras, and stricter background checks for drivers and helpers could help make journeys safer. Awareness campaigns are also important because many passengers still ignore harassment when it happens in front of them.
Helplines like 109 and 1098 are available for women seeking immediate support, but many victims either do not know about them or hesitate to call.
For now, countless women across Bangladesh continue travelling with fear. Every crowded bus, every late-night ride and every packed train become another test of endurance. Perhaps the saddest part is that most women no longer ask for comfort while travelling. They are simply asking to reach home safely.
