Transport scarcity for city women

THE public transport facility of Dhaka is very poor, uncoordinated, inadequate and disorganised. The city roads are narrower than required. As a result, the city is encumbered with traffic congestion till midnight. Traffic jams coupled with less walking space on the footpaths on the one hand and inadequate number of vehicles on the other, lead to crowding of bus stoppages during most parts of the day. Against such a backdrop, women's position can better be imagined than described. Among other things, they have to go through a lot of inconveniences while boarding and getting down from buses. At times they are physically harassed. Special buses for women are few and far between.

As more and more women are joining the work force every year, it is imperative that women should have an increased number of public transport dedicated for them. I hope the government will take immediate steps in this regard to ease the sufferings of women commuters. In all fairness, the public transport system is expected to be a little more women-friendly.

Rumana Sharmeen

Dhaka University