Safety is a huge concern for women travelling in and around Bangladesh, especially when coming to Dhaka, with hotels being very expensive.
A woman travelling alone in Bangladesh is an unusual sight, be it due to our culture, safety issues, or the cost involved.
There has always been a need to provide a safe, clean space for women in Dhaka and hostels have been popular globally for providing cheap and safe accommodations, especially for young people.
Shirin Moni travels to Dhaka often, coming all the way from Jessore, only to attend job interviews.
She usually sets off for the capital at night for the interviews, scheduled mostly in the mornings. As soon as she is done, Shirin again hurries to catch a bus for her hometown.
“I don’t have the financial capacity to stay at hotels for a day or two. So, I just make my way to Dhaka for interviews and once I am finished, I rush home,” she said.
The hectic timetable does not only hinder her preparations for the interviews she attends, it causes severe physical stress, said Shirin, a National University graduate.
The sufferings of women like Shirin, who travel to Dhaka for a short time, may well be coming to an end soon as for the first time in Bangladesh, an all-women's hostel—Basanti Nibash—has been established in Dhaka's Mirpur area, where accommodation costs as low as Tk71, and provides women with a safe place to stay.
Lodgers can stay there for a night by paying the lowest rent compared to any other hostel or hotel in the bustling and expensive Dhaka city.
However, the lowest amount is set only for those sitting for admission tests at different educational institutes. For job seekers, the amount shoots up to Tk299.
Women who do not fall under the two aforementioned categories will have to pay Tk880 for an overnight stay there.
The hostel is an initiative of Bidyanondo Foundation, a charity organization, who aim to launch the hostel officially today, marking the International Women’s Day.
Ordinary hostels, cottages, and even subpar hotels usually charge around Tk1,000 as minimum rent in and around the busy locations of Dhaka city. Compared to that, the rent ceilings are just a nominal fee for overnight accommodation at Basanti Nibash located in Pallabi Residential Area of Mirpur Sare Egaro (11.5).
Rokeya Kabir, executive director of Bangladesh Nari Progati Sangha, an organization working for women’s rights, said: “This is a great move, especially for those from low-income and marginal families,” she said.
The initiative also garnered praise on social media.
A Facebook user, Nasrin Sultana, posted: “Very good initiative. It will be useful if any further plan of this kind is implemented, since women students and working women cannot afford a big amount.”
Basanti Nibash Manager Rahima Akhter said many girls or women do not have relatives in Dhaka.
“In case of emergency, they find it difficult to manage accommodation in a safe environment. Plus, the high rent is also an issue,” she said.
Considering all these problems, Bidyanondo Foundation decided to open the hostel, much to the delight of girls and women seeking temporary accommodation in Dhaka, Rahima commented.
Faruque Ahmed, the hostel’s coordinator, said they want other women's hostels, colleges, and hotels to follow their lead and provide girls and women from low-income families and female students with inexpensive accommodation.
The Hostel
Situated on the third floor of House-13 on Road-B/2 of Pallabi Residential Area, Basanti Nibash encompasses a 1,700 square ft area and has 18 bunk beds to accommodate 36 people every night.
The hostel provides all modern facilities including WIFI connection, computer zone, and AC—all included in the rent.
Along with heightened security, the hostel also offers complimentary breakfast to all customers.
Boarders will be charged for laundry services, and lunch and dinner packages ranging from Tk40 to Tk70. The check-out time at the hostel is between 2pm and 10pm.
