The Bangladesh Traveller

Women Travellers, Travelling with Children

Posted on 29. Dec, 2009 by Mikey Leung in 2. Practical Information
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It is an unfortunate reality that women need to be far more conscious and vigilant over their safety and surroundings whilst travelling in Bangladesh, because of cultural norms that people hold in the country. Attitudes towards women tend to be quite protective but people here are certainly less conservative than their religious brethren in Pakistan; they share more in common with their cultural relatives in West Bengal and India (and this isn’t saying much as gender balance in India also remains far from ideal). Over the years it is pleasing to note that there has been a steady increase in the number of women visible in public surroundings, but there are still some precautions women should take.

The most common problem is verbal harassment, often in the form of cat calls (literally, meowing sounds) or loosely worded slights from immature teenagers. These should be disregarded and ignored. There have also been incidents of groping in extremely crowded places and again these pose mere nuisances more than any serious threat. Dressing more conservatively (eg: a salwar kameez – a loosefitting shirt matched with a pair of baggy pants) will definitely help you attract less attention in this respect; as well as walking around in groups as opposed to alone, or with a male companion.

Single female travellers also attract a lot of attention while travelling, whether this is on public buses, launches or on trains. Again, it is not ill intentioned in most instances; it is mostly curiosity. It is the persistence of the attention that tends to be more draining than the actual attention itself. If travelling in well-touristed places like Cox’s Bazaar, you will often find a group of people willing to ‘adopt’ a single female traveller for a period, which may help in keeping unwanted attention at bay.

Unfortunately, theft directed at single females, moving around at night (usually but not always after 22.00), seems to be a serious problem, especially in the expatriate areas of Dhaka. Far too many incidences have a single expatriate female riding a rickshaw well after dark, only to fall victim to drive-by bag snatchings. Some of these women have been pulled off the rickshaw entirely and dragged for several metres. These incidents occur mostly at night, on quiet or busy roads, but there is one common thread between them all: a single female is often the target victim. Some suggestions:

• Solo females should NOT travel around at night, by rickshaw, after 21.00–22.00. If you must travel, it is best to go in groups.
• Be vigilant while travelling/walking and keep aware of your surroundings. An alert-looking person, whose head is up and is watching the environment around them, presents less of a target than someone who is lost in their own world.
• Bags should be kept off the shoulder, so that if a bag snatching does occur, there is no risk of being dragged, which has actually caused the more serious injury in these incidences.
• A common myth is that poverty spawns these crimes, but in reality bagsnatching crimes are often committed by people with vehicles, which people in poverty cannot afford. It is theorised that it is actually young men, some of whom may be addicted to drugs, who commit these crimes and have the means (ie: a vehicle) to do so.
• If travelling out of the city at night, it is best not to accept food or drinks from strangers at train stations or bus stands, unless you see the drink being made or the food being prepared. In a recent theft, we heard of a drugging that knocked a single female unconscious. It would be a mistake to proclaim that all hospitality offered by strangers is malicious, especially in Bangladesh. But, by being aware of where a drink or food comes from, you can protect yourself.

Travelling with children

Travelling families would certainly find no shortage of interaction with local people, as children of foreign travellers will draw an extraordinary amount of attention, especially infants or young children. While families might enjoy some of the adventures provided by a stay in Bangladesh, the lack of tourist infrastructure means that families are best off sticking to Bangladesh’s well-travelled routes. Journeys to Sundarban or Srimongol should top the list, as there are enough services and things to do that either destination will provide for an interesting and safe stay. Expatriates with families will soon meet other families in a similar boat, and should refer to Chapter 3, Dhaka, in a search for things to do around town – once again, river journeys would probably be the best option for families.

In terms of schools, Dhaka has quite a few choices of varying quality and fees. Below are the recommended schools.

American International School United Nations Rd, Baridhara; tel : 02 882 2452; www.ais-dhaka.net. Dhaka’s top international school, with the fees to match. Sons & daughters of ambassadors & diplomats are all educated here.

French International School Plt 13, Rd 3, Baridhara; tel : 02 881 9956; www.pedsagogie.ac-toulouse.fr/ecofrancaise-dacca. Offers a French- & English-language curriculum, the only international school in Dhaka to do so.

Grace International School Hse 78(B), Rd 23, Gulshan 1; tel : 02 881 4469; www.graceinternationalschool.org. UK-certified education in a Christian environment, with mainly expatriate children attending.

International School Dhaka Plt 80, Blk E, Bashundhara; tel : 02 881 7101–7; www.isdbd.org; Dhaka’s 2nd choice, albeit in a bit of an odd location outside the diplomatic enclave.

Tags: SAFETY AND SECURITY, Travelling with Children, Women Travellers