Ensuring safe public transport for women

Notwithstanding some marked progress in women empowerment, Bangladesh still has a long way to go to ensure broader safety of women and children. Public transport is one of the areas where women and children are quite vulnerable in this country. Women of all ages are subjected to different kinds of mistreatment --- from verbal abuse to sexual harassment --- in public transport. Only a few incidents come to notice of the public or reported to law enforcement agencies.
The situation is worse in the capital city where around three million people ride buses daily. While one-third of the bus riders are women and children, the majority of public buses are not at all friendly towards them. Narrow doors, high floors with steep steps and clogged-up seats with inadequate leg spaces make the bus rides a nightmare to not only women and children but also other commuters.
While getting into or getting off a bus is an arduous task, thanks to rough driving, physical abuse by a number of male passengers having ill intentions, the experience is particularly distressing for women. Evening and night travels are most shocking. Neither the bus staff, nor other passengers show any respect for women in most cases.
Absence of decent public buses due to poor and unplanned public transport policy is the major reason for compromising safety and security of women and children while travelling. CNG-run auto rickshaws, battery-ride easy bikes and human haulers are also not safe for women. In fact, the country's public transport policy is largely biased against women and children.
Lack of right transport policy alone is not to blame for growing physical abuses and sexual harassments of women. While the density in public buses opens a scope for sexual harassments, men's disrespect for human body and privacy of others aggravates the situation. Seeing women as 'always owned by men' attitude, originated from patriarchal mentality, instigates many male to sexually harass women.
Again, sex provoking movies and cinemas especially those from Bollywood play a role in rousing ill desires. Availability of unlimited porn video contents due to internet facility in hand through smart phones is making the matter worse.
So, abuse of women in public transport is a mix of educational and cultural problem and cannot be stopped or even curtailed without continuous reorientation of men. Men need to be sensitised and educated on how to behave decently with women.
Besides sensitising, judicious enforcement of laws is essential which is largely absent in the country. It is not only laws related to sexual harassment, but also transport-related rules and regulations. Allowing unfit buses in roads is an example of laxity in law enforcement. Unfit or ramshackle bus is in no way safe for women.
Finally, massive overhauling of public transport system is a must to ensure safety of women and children. No piecemeal solution like 'women only bus' or 'women only space' in buses will work in the long run. This kind of step sometimes indicates that women are the actual problem which is not true. Men are creating trouble and they have to stop it by behaving decently and respectfully.

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