Shared or divided perceptions of female commuters’ harassment in Chattogram city’s public transport system

Abstract

Cities in the Global South, including Chattogram, Bangladesh, face substantial challenges in developing gender-sensitive transportation systems, largely due to divergent understandings of harassment between key informants and commuters, which significantly shape the effectiveness of mitigation efforts. Adopting a community-focused perspective, this study examines perceptions of transport key informants and commuters regarding the full spectrum of harassment and the challenges it poses to women’s everyday mobility. Utilizing a qualitative approach, this research draws on in-depth interviews with both transport key informants and transport commuters, all of whom were selected using a purposive sampling technique. The findings reveal significant gaps between key informants’ perceptions and the lived experiences of female commuters due to different educational and professional backgrounds. Furthermore, the study underscores how variations in social backgrounds and individual perceptions contribute to gaps in understanding women’s transport-related harassment and the effectiveness of existing policies. By identifying these gaps, the study seeks to bridge diverse viewpoints and advance more inclusive and responsive transport systems in developing cities like Chattogram, Bangladesh.

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