Mimita Haque, a 23‑year‑old university student, was returning to a relative’s house in Mirpur from Dhaka University around 11:00pm when she was harassed on a transport she had trusted to take her home safely.
“I was going home on a rickshaw. In the middle of the road, the rickshaw puller suddenly stopped and tried to harass me. There was no one nearby.
“I suddenly spotted another rickshaw and quickly ran towards it. Luckily, that rickshaw puller understood my situation and helped me get out of there.”
“Now I am afraid to provide tuition far from my campus. I avoid commuting late at night… I feel so unsafe,” she recalled.
Mimita is not alone. Samia Akhter, a domestic worker, said she usually returns home around the same time after work.
She said, “I come home late because of my work schedule. I feel unsafe on the buses I commute in. Every now and then I hear news about what women have to face every day... There’s nothing I can do. I have to work so that my family has food on the table.”
Nandiny Ahasun, 24, often returns home between 10:00pm and 11:00pm after work. She is always anxious about her safety.
“I used to prefer public buses,” she said. “I thought they would be safer since there were more people around. But over time, I started feeling unsafe… especially at night.
“Ride-sharing too makes me nervous. Now I try to leave early. If I can’t, I call my father to pick me up. I just do not feel safe.”
According to the crime statistics in Bangladesh, in February and March of 2026, a total of 696 cases were filed in DMP and Dhaka Range under the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act, 2000.
According to an ActionAid study in 2018, around 90 percent of girls aged 10 to 18 in Bangladesh have experienced sexual harassment or unwanted physical contact in public spaces.
NM Nasiruddin, deputy commissioner of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police, said authorities act promptly when complaints are received.
While he could not provide exact data, he noted that the DMP has a Women Support and Investigation Department to handle such cases. “We are ready to deal with any kind of harassment,” he added.
Shaheen Anam, executive director of Manusher Jonno Foundation, said, “We have failed to create a safe environment for women -- at home, outside, and even in workplaces. Women face harassment whenever they step out, yet many remain silent out of fear. It is the government’s responsibility to stop this, but it has not been fulfilled.
“We hope a proper law on sexual harassment will be enacted, as even High Court directives have not been implemented. There are no committees in place, no accountability, and no punishment. A deeper problem is that society does not respect women, and perpetrators often go unpunished.”
