'No-rent' for women

Why are you not married?

We don't allow late nights.

We need to meet your parents.

Single women mean 'guy problems'.

Pay extra, or no-rent for women. 

For single women, getting a rented house in Dhaka city is tantamount to winning a battle.

These words came from several single women in Dhaka city, describing the hazards they have to go through while trying to rent an apartment.

Deepika Saha was not even allowed to enter a house in Madhya Badda, despite the 'To-Let' sign hanging outside the building.

The guard told them that the owner would not allow any single woman tenant.

Deepika said the guard had the audacity to offer her a solution to her problem: "Get married. This city is not safe for single woman."

Aditi, a Masters' student of the criminology and criminal justice department of Dhaka University, lives in a rented house at the city's Farmgate area.

"A house owner in Indira road once said that women tenants brought 'guy problems' with them. This is why he does not want any women tenants," said Aditi.

   Some women manage to rent a house but hazards follow once they move in.

A part-timer in a telecom company, Mahfuz Kona, shared her story with Prothom Alo.

" I used to live with some women in a house in Badda. Running water was unavailable for seven to eight days a month. When we complained, the owner said we use excessive water. The most annoying part was, we had to climb the stairs barefoot as the owner said we make too much noise," said Kona.

Ayesha Siddiqua works in a private organisation. She was not able stay on even for a month, sub-letting with a family. The man of the family did not directly use any obscene words, but his suggestive gestures were enough to make Ayesha leave. 

Most of the students of private universities have to live in rented premises near their campuses, as private universities do not have hostel facilities. 

A former student of East West University, Dilara Zaman said the house owners demand extra money from the female students.

"A landlord once said they are doing us a favour by renting the house to us and so we were asked to pay extra," said Dilara.  

Not all women come from different cities, villages, and small towns to Dhaka and look for a place to live. Some women are Dhaka residents, but decide to live alone.

Shishir is living in Dhanmondi as a sub-let tenant.

In her words: "My parents live in Dhaka, but I decided to move to a different part of the city as it is easier to go to my workplace from here. I don't have to spend hours in traffic congestion anymore. I am an independent woman. I can take my own decision. And I decided to live alone."  

Tania Haque, associate professor of women and gender studies department of Dhaka University, blamed it on social attitudes which consider unmarried women trouble-magnets.

"Women are getting economically empowered, true, but a woman's marital status is still considered her social identity. This is why a single woman has to go through extra hassle finding a rented house," she said. 

  Tania Haque recommended that the authorities ensure a safe environment for women living alone in the city. Otherwise, this problem will remain a problem forever.   

Country Director of ActionAid Bangladesh Farah Kabir said the demand of rented houses is increasing in Dhaka city as a significant number of women are joining the work force. 

It does not matter how competent a woman is, many men still think they have the right to lecture her if she decides to live alone, she added.