Women commuting on Dhaka city's public transports are facing different forms of harassments, including a near-constant threat of sexual harassment, by co-travelers and staff of the transports, according to a survey report.
It said 63.4 per cent of girls and women aged 13-35 who took part in the survey, were victims of various forms of harassments while traveling on public transport in Dhaka in the last six months.
Most of the victims took part in the survey, however, did not protest the incident to avoid further trouble, it added.
The study, titled 'Harassment on Public Transportation in Dhaka City and its Effect on Women's Mental Health', were conducted by Aachol Foundation from January to March this year. Its findings were disclosed at a virtual event in the city on Friday.
According to the findings 46.5 per cent of the victims were sexually harassed.
Most of the victim women took part in the survey said they did not protest the incident fearing further trouble.
Of those sexually harassed, 45.27 per cent have experienced mental health problems in the future, the study mentioned.
Public bus, train, laguna and ride-sharing vehicles were included in the survey. Among the participants in the survey, 84.10 per cent said they used bus as public transport when the incidents happened.
The survey was conducted on school, college and university students and working women and some housewives in different areas including Azimpur, Mirpur, Gulshan, Banani, Dhanmondi, Baridhara.
A total of 805 women aged between 13 and 35 were surveyed. In the survey 86 per cent were students.
According to the report, in addition to sexual harassment, 15 per cent were victim of bullying, 15 per cent were victim of social discrimination, 15 per cent were victim of gender discrimination and 8.2 per cent said that they faced harassment physically (body shaming) in the transports.
A whopping 75 per cent who have been sexually harassed said they were harassed by other passengers while 20.4 per cent said they had been exposed to such incidents by helpers of buses and other transports.
The victim said most of the perpetrators are over the age of 40 years. About 62 per cent of women reported being sexually abused by people aged between 40 and 59 while 36 per cent said they had been sexually harassed by teenagers, youths and middle-aged people, aged 13-49.
About 61 per cent of the women said they were touched by bus helpers despite no-consent while getting on and off the bus.
Farzana Akhter, executive member of Aanchal Foundation, revealed the survey findings at a programme, presided over by Tansen Rose, Founder President of Aanchal Foundation.
Speaking on the occasion, Md Ismail Hossain, Professor and Head of the Department of Social Work, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, said that the survey findings were worrying. We have to find a ways to solve this problem legally and socially, he added.
Lawyer Sheikh Mahdi said at the virtual event that there is no clear legal provision against women being harassed or sexually harassed in public transport.
However, some sections of the Penal Code and the Women and Child Abuse Prevention Act provide legal safety against such harassment.
Many women do not protest such incidents fearing further harassment or apprehending hassles in taking legal action over the incidents. He said that if there is silence, the criminals will become more reckless.
The Aachol Foundation proposed a 10-point demand to prevent harassment in public transport.
These included installation of closed circuit (CC) cameras in public transport, increasing the number of public transports, arranging separate transport for women, making nameplates mandatory for bus drivers, helpers and assistants, ensuring speedy trials to ensure legal protection for women and girls in public transport.
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