The New Nation - Internet Edition

Samsuda Akter Lina

Bangladesh was born out of conflict thirty-seven years ago. However, there is no figure available on how many women become victims of eve teasing in Bangladesh. However, numbers are available in other forms of sexual violence on Bangladeshi women. As eve teasing does not involve any physical harassment the law refuses to recognize it as a violent act. What is discerned here is that women becoming victims of eve teasing is not seen seriously even by the police. Yet eve teasing can be as cruel and as violent as physical assaults only a handful of the women have the courage to become rebels and to break the norm of the society. These women realize that there is a vast world outside their homes in which women should have their footsteps. Begum Rokeya was one of these women who realized It is not easy for most men to break the male chauvinistic attitude of thousands of years in one life and understand the message. It is not easy for them to realize the pain and agony a woman goes through during her lifetime for not being able to take full control of her life.

The problem of eve teasing is not new. Eve-teasing or non-euphemistically sexual harassment or molestation of women in public places is a growing concern in Bangladesh and throughout this sub-continent at present. It is appalling and in some cases an extremely perilous practice. This is something that the women are supposed to either just tolerate or are even accused of bringing it upon themselves. However, the fact is that the act of eve teasing is widely condemned and considered a nuisance by the public and is punishable. Lack of police officers' awareness is also a reason for eve teasing, as they are not conscious about this matter. The problem also lies with the conservative set up of the society. Education, family rearing and way of living are some of the factors that influence everybody's mind.

The change is fuming the women rights activists. The change has come at a time when harassment of women has increased in Bangladesh. But one can enforce her right under section 509,of the Penal code where it is clearly stated that, if anybody intending to insult the modesty of any women, utters any word, make any sound or gesture or exhibits any object, intending that such word or sound shall be heard, or that such gesture or object shall be seen, by such women, or intrudes upon the privacy of such women, shall be punished with simple imprisonment for a term which may extend to one year or with fine or with both.

Not only that in Metropolitan Police Ordinances, 1976 it is clearly described that whoever willfully and indecently exposes his person in any street or public place within sight of and in such manner as may be seen by, any woman, whether from within any house or building or not, or willfully obstructs any woman in a street or public place or insults or annoys any woman by using indecent language or making indecent sounds, gestures, or remarks in any street or public place, shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to one year , or with fine which may extend to two thousand taka, or with both. There is no figure available on how many women become victims of eve teasing in Bangladesh. However, numbers are available in other forms of sexual violence on Bangladeshi women. A recent media report said more than 12,000 women have been victims of sexual harassment or violence across the country during January-July period. These included about 2,600 cases of rapes. The figures are high even though many victims do not go to police for shame or fear of reprisals by the attackers.

The government says eve teasing is still punishable under Dhaka Metropolitan Police Ordinance. The penalty is up to one-year imprisonment plus fine up to Tk. 2,000. But this has rarely been enforced and that's one of the reasons why the original law against repression of women included eve teasing as an off.