Bipasha Rahman
Sanjida Khatun passed the HSC examinations from a college in Barisal with good grades. She wants to study in Dhaka University, but her parents are not willing to send her to Dhaka as she has no relative living in the capital city.
The parents do not want her to stay in any hostel for fear of her security. Recent violent incidents in some universities have rather reinforced their fear. So, Sanjida cannot fulfill her long-time dream of reading at the country's largest university.
Many girls like Sanjida cannot pursue higher education for reasons beyond their control. Thus many Bangladeshi women lag behind in higher education. However, women in Bangladesh have started asserting themselves. They want opportunities for higher education even though the society is still male-dominated and conservative. They want to march ahead ignoring harassment, obstacles and even perverted attitude of a section of the society.
Many women are thus forced to drop out. Only 23 per cent of the female students who pass HSC examinations enroll in the next phase of higher studies, according to World Bank Discussion Papers 'Education Achievement and School Efficiency in Rural Bangladesh'.
Female students face various problems after arriving at universities for higher education. Dormitory seats are in short supply and many female students do not get seats. Students have to struggle hard to get seats. There is always the fear of losing the seat. Many students become victims of harassment, deception and intimidation by senior students and even by teachers. Lack of security in the hall is another big problem.
Recent reports of a hidden camera in the bathroom of a university dormitory for female students have further discouraged parents from sending their daughters to university dormitories.
"There is a lack of seats in many halls. It takes a long time for a student to get a dormitory seat. So, many are forced to seek help from political activists. I'm one of them who took help from a student leader to get a seat. In return I've to participate in the political activities of that student organisation," says a female student who asked not to be named for fear that she may lose her seat.
Alleged sexual abuse of female students even by teachers is another factor that prevents many parents from sending their children to universities. Even though their number is only a handful, there are still dishonest teachers who try to take sexual advantage of female students promising them good grades in the papers they deal with.
Such teachers resort to either punishment or reward to gain their ill motives. A number of such incidents went public at Dhaka University. Male classmates also deceive their female counterparts such as using hidden cameras to film intimate moments with lovers. The scenes are converted into porno films and then sold into clandestine markets. When reports of such incidents travel to the families, guardians get worried and do not want to send their daughters to cities for higher education.
A recent report that a video camera was found hidden in a bathroom of Rokeya Hall has spread panic among the students and their guardians. Says a mother who came to Rokeya Hall to see her daughter: "If there is no security inside a hall then where can we send our children. Many guardians will think twice before sending their children to halls." Even unfounded reports damage the image of many. It is no longer important if the reports are true or false.
Panic gripped the female students after reports that a CD about Rokeya Hall is now available in the market. A resident of Rokeya Hall went to a CD store to know if such a CD was really available. According to the students, the storekeeper confirmed that such CD was selling, but it was not available that time.
When a group of anxious female students called on Pro-Vice Chancellor of the university Prof. AFM Yusuf Haider, he reportedly told them, "We have investigated the reports. But no such CD was available. This must be the conspiracy of a vested group to create trouble on the campus."
The assurance has done little to remove uneasiness in the campus. Says Swarna, a resident of Shamsun Nahar Hall, "I feel ashamed. It has been difficult to see our male friends after the report.
Angela, an Italian student at Dhaka's University Language Institute says, "In our country male and female students live in the same dormitories. But we don't face such a situation."
The reports have created a negative image about the female halls of the university. Some newspapers headlined the unfounded incident as if this has actually happened. That was wrong and unfair.
Says Fahmidul Haq, a teacher at Dhaka University's Mass Communication and Journalism Department: "This has undermined the image of the university. This has happened because of the abuse of Internet. The authorities must take immediate measures to prevent such incidents and clear such obstacles in the way of higher education for women." Haq has echoed the sentiment of the society.
— NewsNetwork
What prevents women from higher education?
FE Team | Published: October 27, 2007 00:00:00 | Updated: February 01, 2018 00:00:00
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