Unlike many other countries, women roaming around during nights is not a common sight in Bangladesh. The societal taboo that women are not supposed to be outside at night is also a factor, given that women's security in Bangladesh is inadequate. Women staying out late is not just about security; it is about perception. Society still views it as unacceptable for girls to be outside their homes during late hours.
While this mindset is somewhat expected in rural areas, considering their educational and cultural upbringing, even the urban elite are still unused to encountering women on the streets at night, which is upsetting.
Universities, which should be the country’s most liberal and culturally progressive spheres, bolster this inequality. Most institutions impose strict curfews on female dormitories, typically closing their gates by 10pm, after which no entry is allowed.
Male students, on the other hand, are exempt from these limitations and are not required to return to their hostels by midnight. Men are entitled to unrestricted freedom of movement, whereas women are constrained by restrictions that limit them access to places that ought to be equally theirs as well.
In April 2018, Dhaka University witnessed the first wave of protests for quota reform. The movement took a dramatic turn on April 8 when police stormed the campus, firing tear gas, and causing chaos. That night, the female residents of Dhaka University did something that had never been attempted: They breached the gates of their dorms and took to the streets at midnight.
They stood courageously and resolutely beside their male peers, who were never subjected to the same restrictions. That night was more than just a protest -- it was a moment of resistance. In addition to opposing the police intervention, the students shattered long-standing social norms that had confined women behind locked gates late at night.
However, after that night, things returned to the way they had always been. The only visible change following the DUCSU election in 2019 was a minor extension of the curfew -- from 10pm to 10:30pm, with the possibility of staying out until 11pm with special permission.
This change appeared to be a positive move, but it didn't really address the root of the problem. Women were nonetheless constrained, unable to remain outside for personal, professional, or emergency purposes. As the issue was once again ignored, the early spark of hope for normalizing women's presence at night gradually faded.
In Bangladesh, even the fundamental right to movement is still challenging for women, as the orthodox mindsets frequently influence norms of society
But history has a way of repeating itself. In July 2024, female students from various universities reignited the fight. This time, the movement spread beyond Dhaka University, reaching Jahangirnagar University, Chittagong University, Rajshahi University, and other institutions.
Women once more breached evening curfew regulations, storming onto the streets at night while holding flambeaus and speaking out against the autocrat. Attempts to silence them were drowned out by the cacophony of spoons clattering against pot lids throughout the night. These young women refused to return to a status quo that no longer suited them, taking to the streets not only as protesters but also as shields for their comrades.
A powerful sense of discrimination was the driving force behind the outcry. The tipping point came with the tragic case of Asiya, an eight-year-old girl who had been raped and was fighting for her life. The streets became a stage for resistance as women, with placards in hand and tears in their eyes, demanded justice -- not just for Asiya, but for every victim of sexual violence. Their slogans were not merely words; they carried the weight of generations who had been told that the night did not belong to them.
In Bangladesh, even the fundamental right to movement is still challenging for women, as the orthodox mindsets frequently influence norms of society. A significant portion of the population still believes that "respectable" women should not be outside at night, regardless of whether they have legitimate reasons or simply wish to enjoy the city.
The debate over keeping women’s dormitories open late has continued for years, yet the focus has rarely shifted to the more pressing issue -- why should women have to fight for the right to move freely in their own spaces? Why is safety still considered a privilege rather than a right?
Girls were the torchbearer when the night was the darkest. They have always been the bearers of hope, stepping forward whenever uncertainty loomed over victory. Winning the war against autocracy would not have been possible without their unshaken participation, regardless of the time -- day or night.
If there is one thing they have learned, and taught us in return, it is that they can reclaim the streets at night, no matter how fatigued they are or how formidable the opposition. Occupying the streets is not just an act of defiance, but it also represents their legitimate claim, unrelenting fight, and demand for an equal portion of public space without fear.
ASM Kamrul Islam actively participated in the Quota Reform Protest of 2018 as a resident student at Dhaka University and again in 2024 as a faculty member of Green University of Bangladesh.
