Desk Report
Published: 13 Nov 2021, 04:33 pm
Representational Image || Photo: Collected
Sexual Harassment
of women in public transport is increasing day by day. Sometimes by the male
passengers and sometimes by transport workers, female passengers are being harassed.
Although various initiatives have been taken to ensure the safe movement of women,
most of them have not been effective.
According
to BRAC's research, about 94 percent of women are victims of sexual harassment
on public transport. In May this year, a garment worker (woman) was gang-raped
on a moving bus in Ashulia. Earlier in 2017, a woman was gang-raped and killed
in a moving bus in Tangail. Such incidents happen almost frequently in the
public transport of the country.
Human
rights activists say a change in the mentality of men is necessary to change
the situation.
Human
rights activist Khushi Kabir said that the number of transport for women should
be increased. Besides, the mentality of the people should be changed.
In
2018, the Dolanchampa bus service was launched in the capital for the safe movement
of women. At present only one bus survives in that service. Of the 22 BRTCs,
only a handful are currently in operation.