Most working women and female students are often harassed sexually on the roads, buses, at their workplaces, at educational institutions, and even at home.
However, there is no specific data on sexual harassment in Bangladesh. A 2015 ActionAid survey found almost all participants considered such harassment “violence against women” but over 80% said they would not seek police help as they did not have faith in them.
Victims and rights activists blamed the education system and degrading social values. They said a change in attitude towards women was needed.
Dhaka tribune spoke to a number of working women and female students about the issue. Their comments had stark similarities. They said the most common forms of sexual harassment were being pushed by men and “eve teasing” or verbal slur.
The ActionAid survey said different forms of sexual harassment identified by women include derogatory or obscene comments by passersby, passengers and buyers (88%), sexual nuances through abusive language (46%), derogatory comments by drivers or conductors (86%), shopkeepers and sellers (69%).
“Men often say 'sorry' after pushing women to convince others that the body contact was unintentional, which of course is not true in most cases,” said a woman. Another woman described how the drivers' assistants in public buses try to feel their bodies. “Many male passengers also harass us in various ways,” she said.
Harassment is common in public places like markets and festivals. “People present at the scene would support the harasser if the victim protested,” a woman claimed. “So most of the time the victims do not protest.”
A number of women were sexually assaulted on the Dhaka University campus last Pohela Boishakh. Police have so far arrested a suspected molester.
Asked whether they thought the law could protect them from harassment, most of those interviewed by the Dhaka Tribune said they did not. “People need to change their attitude and family should play a big part in teaching moral values,” one respondent said.
The ActionAid survey found 76% girls under 20 and 44% women over 30 were victims of sexual harassment and assault. It claimed half the victims kept silent. The culture of silence was so strong that only 54% of the victims informed their families, it noted.
National Human Rights Commission Chairman Mizanur Rahman told the Dhaka tribune that existing laws were enough. “We do not need new laws … Swift trials and punishments for such offences will deter offenders to some extent.”
Bangladesh Mahila Parishad's President Ayesha Khanam said the victims have to make a point by protesting against harassment, to show the offenders that they cannot go scot-free. “If the victims raise their voices, the offenders will refrain from such acts,” she added.
Jagannath University's psychology department Chairman Ashok Kumar Saha said the victims usually keep mum about sexual harassment “out of shame and fear.” “They inform their families or close ones when they cannot take it any more.”
Rights activist Alina Khan said she viewed the harassment as “eve teasing.” “These can be curbed if the law is implemented properly and if police dealt with them seriously,” she told the Dhaka Tribune.
The ActionAid survey claimed 81% respondents said they would not approach police for help against sexual harassment in public places. As many as 65% respondents said police tended to blame women; 57% claimed police took complaints lightly; 53% said police did nothing about their complaints; while 12% said they feared further harassment by police.
Dhaka Metropolitan Police's Deputy Commissioner (media and public relations) Maruf Hossain Sarder said they take harassment complaints very seriously. “We have a Women Support and Investigation Division to deal with them,” he said.
“We take swift actions whenever we receive complaints. Our teams patrol the roads. If anyone falls victim to sexual harassment anywhere, they can approach the nearest police team,” Maruf said.