The alarming normalisation of gendered harassment in Bangladesh

On the night of 9 May, two girls aged between 15 and 17 were violently beaten with a belt by a youth named Nehal Ahmed Jihad on a launch docked at the Munshiganj terminal. The assault, caught on video and widely circulated on social media, took place in front of 50 to 60 spectators—many of whom reportedly filmed the abuse and even encouraged it.

When asked, Nehal claimed that the girls' attire had agitated hundreds of men on board, and he took it upon himself to "punish" them to defuse the situation. "If I hadn't punished the girls, the other people would have torn their dresses apart," he said, portraying his assault as a form of protection. That a statement like this can be offered as justification and backed up by public approval should be cause for national concern.

On  2 April, Rafia Tamanna, an editorial assistant at New Age, and her brother were physically attacked after confronting a group of men who allegedly followed and harassed Rafia near her home in Banasree. When her brother intervened, a violent altercation occurred. Rafia reports being groped and kicked while trying to shield her sibling. Following a police complaint, three suspects were arrested. This attack, unlike many others, at least reached legal attention but it underscores a dangerous pattern.

On 1 March, a confrontation in Dhaka's Lalmatia took a violent turn when a 60-year-old man allegedly assaulted two female students for sitting and smoking at a tea stall's footpath seating. Witnesses say he used slurs and later physically attacked one of the girls after she threw tea at him in retaliation. The man claimed the girls were smoking marijuana, a claim they denied. A mob of 10-12 men joined in the assault, slapping and punching the girls while also recording the incident. According to a Facebook post, the attackers forcibly deleted live videos from the girls' phones even after police had arrived.

"This is the normalisation of a misogynistic discourse. Not long ago, a man who harassed a girl at Dhaka University was bailed out with a garland over his head. This alone sends a strong message to society," said Rezwana Karim Snigdha, associate professor of Anthropology at Jahangirnagar University.    

"Our society is not limited to the privileged circle or central Dhaka, and yet in a space like Dhaka University, an abuser was publicly celebrated for his actions." 

She explained that when misogynists like him are endorsed by certain communities and the state remains silent, while the victim's identity is exposed, it creates an environment where women begin to believe they should not step outside. 

"The goal is to reduce women's visibility. There is a political agenda at play here: to discipline women, especially empowered women of all ages. This form of discipline is part of a larger narrative rooted in male patriarchal dominance, " the professor added.

The pattern is no longer subtle

These three incidents are not coincidental. They reflect a culture where public violence against women is increasingly becoming a spectacle one where victims are punished not just for their alleged "misconduct," but for their mere presence.

Despite legal protections, violence against women is escalating. According to police crime data, 2,089 cases of violence against women and children were reported in April 2025 alone, the highest monthly figure in nearly three years. From January to April this year, 7,013 such cases were recorded—up from 5,795 in the final four months of 2024.

What's reported is only the surface. Experts widely agree that most incidents go unreported due to fear of retaliation, victim-blaming, and systemic apathy.

A digital parallel to street harassment

Gender-based violence has also taken firm root online. A study by Tech Global Institute states: According to a joint study by the Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust and BRAC, 66% of women in Bangladesh have experienced cybercrimes. ActionAid found that 64 out of 100 women have faced some form of online harassment or violence.

Globally, 58% of young women report facing harassment on social media. In Bangladesh, where technology is increasingly weaponised against women, online abuse often leads to or mirrors offline consequences.

Whether on a launch in Munshiganj or a street in Dhaka, the common thread is this: women are made to feel unsafe in spaces they have every right to occupy. And those responsible, be it an individual or a mob—are not held accountable in any meaningful way.

Character policing over criminal policing

In 2018, when Shafat Ahmed the son of Apan Jewellers owner was accused of raping two private university students, public discourse swiftly shifted to dissecting the victims' photos from parties. The conversation derailed into a "moral" debate about their lifestyle, rather than focusing on the crime itself. Consent, evidently, is still a misunderstood concept for a large portion of the population.

This societal tendency to morally police victims rather than confront perpetrators feeds into the illusion that women are the problem and that if they dressed "right," behaved "modestly," or stayed "indoors," none of this would happen. But the facts betray that myth. Women who follow all those "rules" still face harassment and violence. That's because the problem is not with the victim, it's with the harasser.

In the Munshiganj launch incident, the fact that dozens stood by, recorded the violence and even cheered raises a chilling point: violence against women is no longer just tolerated—it is participated in. Whether it's through active assault or passive complicity, society has become increasingly comfortable with public punishments meted out against women for simply existing outside patriarchal expectations.

Taslima Akhter, President of the Bangladesh Garment Sramik Samhati, acknowledged the rate of harassment has increased, and the state must take necessary measures to address it. 

"We finally have a space where we can raise our voices about these issues, but real change takes time. We need to stop portraying women as objects in Bangladeshi media and literature—these representations shape public perception and reinforce harmful mindsets," Akhter said. 

"Our laws promise equal rights for men and women, yet women in this country still struggle to live as equal citizens, free from fear. We need a shift in collective mentality. The way the Women Reform Commissioner was treated is unacceptable. With the march on 16 May approaching, everyone should come forward and join this cause," she added. 

The call for solidarity

In response to these mounting acts of violence and harassment, a public event titled 'Narir Dake Maitri Jatra' is scheduled for 16 May at Manik Mia Avenue. In a Facebook post, one of the organisers wrote:

"Given recent incidents, rising acts of violence, and public harassment of women and marginal communities and efforts to dismiss our rightful demands, led to this collaboration in organising Narir Dake Maitri Jatra. There is no central leadership or official affiliation with any political party, NGO, or organization. Women with shared values of dignity, justice, equality, and solidarity have come together. Others who share this value are welcome to join as allies too!"

This march is not a solution but it is a statement. A collective outcry. But symbolic gestures alone are not enough.

If Bangladesh is to move forward, the government must treat gender-based violence not as a women's issue, but as a national emergency. There is no development when half the population lives in fear and the other half is emboldened by that fear.

The government, law enforcement, judiciary, and media must begin with the basics: believe victims, punish perpetrators, and stop enabling violence through silence, negligence, or misguided moral codes. Until then, hashtags and slogans will remain background noise and women will continue to bleed in silence.