A total of 72 per cent girls living in the slum areas of Dhaka are worried about their safety at open bathing spaces.
Many girls are scared that someone in the neighbourhood or from nearby tall buildings may be videotaping them while they are bathing in the open spaces and then spreading the videos on social media.
These concerns were revealed in a survey of Plan International Bangladesh. The survey was carried out at the slums of Dhalpur, Malek Member, IG Gate and Match colonies in the capital from March to May this year, with the slogan ‘Safe bathrooms for everyone everywhere’.
A total of 417 girls aged between 15 to 24 years, participated in the survey as respondents.
Plan International Bangladesh presented the survey report at a press conference, held at a hotel in capital’s Purana Paltan area on Saturday.
It was said in that report, 99 per cent bathing places of those four areas are open. And, only 15 per cent of those bathing places are separate for just women. The rest have to be shared by men and women indiscriminately.
There is no privacy for women in those bathing places as there are no roofs or walls. Many teenage girls endure indecent comments thrown in their way. Plus, they feel uncomfortable to take bathe in the presence of men.
Plan International Bangladesh has set up 15 pucca (brick and mortar) bathrooms in those four areas under ‘Empowering Girls for Economic Opportunity and Safe Space-Egloss’ model project.
Population Services and Training Centre (PSTC) partnered with them in this initiative. Bangladesh Youth Society (BYS) helped running awareness campaign and survey on social media about the necessity of safe bathrooms.
The survey report also stated that 35 to 45 people share a common bathing space. So, a long queue of people wanting to take a bath forms there.
75 per cent of the respondents said, they never get a chance to take a bath easily. Plus, they are faced with rude comments for taking a little bit of extra time.
During periods, their sufferings reach extreme levels. They wait for the night to take a bath, which is even more unsafe for them.
Eight of the girls who took part in the survey informed of being blackmailed through their photographs and videos.
The survey report was presented by SM Tariquzaman, WASH Specialist of Plan International Bangladesh.
Among others, Manik Kumar Saha, project manager of Plan International Bangladesh, Shiropa Kulsum, project coordinator of PSTC, Fayez Belal, founder and executive director of BYS, Shemonty Monjari, publicity manager of Plan International Bangladesh, Ashik Billah, head of northern region of the organisation were present during the press conference.