Women commuters are suffering

A recent study has found that 21 per cent of the public transport users are women. A majority of these women face sexual, physical or verbal harassment while commuting in the public buses, human haulers and other transport.

The public transport facility of Dhaka is inadequate and poorly managed. The number of special buses for women is still inadequate compared to the number of female commuters. More such buses for women passengers should be introduced in Dhaka city.

Some special buses can allow one accompanying male with each female passenger. Most women passengers travel with their husband, son or brothers. At the moment, they cannot board the special buses because of their companions.

Some women are also using the motorcycle taxis through app-based ride-sharing services.

The government should introduce more public buses in Dhaka city. Additionally, a limit can be placed on the number of private vehicles per household as the number of private vehicles is increasing without similar growth in road infrastructures leading to traffic congestion.

I hope that the concerned authorities will soon take some steps to help the women commuters of Dhaka and elsewhere in the country.

Rumana Sharmeen

Dhaka University