The public transportation sector in Bangladesh is a vital component of the nation's infrastructure and economy. However, women in Bangladesh face various challenges when using these public transports, ranging from safety-related anxieties to logistical inconveniences.
The aforementioned difficulties not only have a detrimental impact on the physical and emotional well-being of women, but also impede their ability to partake in educational pursuits or secure employment.
Therefore, it is crucial to prioritize the safety and convenience of women in public transports. Enhancing the accountability of public transport owners appears to be the most noteworthy alternative -- albeit a very long and bumpy journey towards attaining the desired outcome.
The issue of safety has been a highly salient concern for the women in our country who have to commute using public transport. The female population is prone to a heightened vulnerability towards unfortunate incidents of sexual harassment, assault, and theft while in a public transport.
The fear of such incidents have been hindering women from using public transport altogether, which consequently puts a barrier between them and many of their aspirations. Furthermore, it is preventing the nation from utilizing half of its human capital to the most productive extent.
To address these concerns, the government with and through public transport owners must undertake pre-emptive actions to guarantee the welfare and security of female passengers.
This can include implementation of various security measures, such as the installation of closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras on both buses and stations, the deployment of security personnel, and administering training programs to drivers and attendants to effectively respond to incidents of harassment or assault.
While Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC) and Dolonchapa of Rangs have launched “women-only” bus services to address the loudest unheard demand of women's safety, their impact in the market has been limited.
Furthermore, aside from matters pertaining to safety, women also have to face inconveniences when using public transports. In certain instances, female individuals are subject to extended waiting times to get on the bus of their convenient route or lacking access to suitable seating arrangements or facilities.
It is recommended that the government push initiatives through public transport owners to resolve such concerns. Guaranteeing that the vehicles are clean and well-maintained, furnishing preferential seating arrangements for expectant women on unigender buses, stopping only at designated stations instead of in the middle of the road, and other measures of such sort for passenger convenience are just some of the steps that can and should be implemented.
Moreover, public transport owners can explore and consider creating more flexible schedules to accommodate the needs of women who are likely to have domestic, other familial, or beyond the stereotypical professional responsibilities that need to be fulfilled.
Enhancing the convenience of public transportation for women can also be achieved by fostering awareness through information dissemination and education. A significant proportion of female individuals may be unfamiliar with the available services, as well as the timetables and routes of vehicles. Public transport proprietors can provide information on how to use public transport effectively.
This can include creating dedicated websites or apps, using social media to share updates and news, and providing training and workshops on how to use public transports.
Public transport owners can also work with local communities and organizations to create awareness about the importance of women's safety and convenience. This can include partnering with women's rights groups, community leaders, and schools or universities to promote safe and convenient public transportation options.
By involving the community in these efforts, public transport owners can build trust and confidence among women sustainably and create a positive environment for them. However, the “billion dollar” question remains whether the public transport business leaders are really going to reshape themselves as such morally and socially responsible businesspersons.
The solution to repairing their debatable business ethics necessitates the government's involvement in imposing a constructive perception of social and moral responsibility on them, as well as a customer-oriented service proposition.
In order to achieve this objective, the government may formulate policies and regulations aimed at prioritizing the safety and convenience of access for women in public transportation. Incentives could be created for transport owners and staff members for being the way they should be.
Similarly, the government should institute a mechanism of responsibility for public transport owners and staff members. Such an approach to enhance the quality of services offered to women could involve establishment of a complaint hotline or suggestion box. A subsequent system of effectively imposing penalties on irresponsible public transport owners and staff members who would not comply with the safety and convenience standards could be the natural follow up.
The significance of assuring safety and convenience for women in the public transport sector is crucial for promoting gender equity and creating passage for them to pursue their aspirations. By prioritizing the raised concerns, we can get a big step ahead in creating a more equitable and inclusive society that confers benefits to all.
Nafis Ehsas Chowdhury is a freelance contributor. The author acknowledges valuable insights and guidance from Dr Sarker Rafij Ahmed Ratan, Associate Professor of Marketing at United International University.