ROUGH ROADS TO EQUALITY

from Sylhet 77 were overwhelmingly positive compared to Chittagong and Dhaka. In the latter two ranges,
50% or more of some ranks 78 answered that their subordinates do not follow their orders willingly.
In the focus groups, women added that male subordinates would not address many of them as “Sir” initially.
Instead, they addressed female superiors as “Sister”; they never, however, call male superiors “Brother”. Indeed,
neither “Sister” nor “Ma’am” carry the same respect as “Sir” in Bangladesh, and the refusal to address women
as “Sir” is telling enough of the level of respect given by male juniors to women in supervisory positions.
Further, according to our participants, male subordinates respect female members of the cadre, but not midlevel
personnel.
Comments included:
viii.
“Junior male subordinates follow our instructions hesitatingly. They obey men’s orders more willingly
and do their work efficiently. They find it difficult to address us as ‘Sir’; they address us as ‘Apa’ [meaning
sister].” 79
“Junior male staff find it difficult to address us as ‘Sir’.”
“Seniors respect us but the problem is with the juniors.”
Sexual Harassment at Work
As might be expected, findings concerning the existence or extent of sexual harassment were mixed. This is not
a surprising phenomenon given the common reluctance of many women to speak out.
To understand what women’s experiences are on the ground, we asked a series of questions about their
experiences and what internal policies they are aware of.
Of the mid-level personnel, 2.7% of Sub-Inspectors and 3.3% of Assistant Sub-Inspectors reported
experiencing sexual harassment. More than 10% of Constables said they faced sexual harassment.
According to Constables in the Chittagong focus group, a common form of harassment is male police
personnel spreading rumours to defame women police. They added that even some Officers-in-Charge of
police stations indulge in spreading rumours. Male police personnel were also accused of sending repeated
and/ or inappropriate messages to female personnel and making comments on women’s trouser and shirt
uniforms.
Among those women from both the focus groups and interviews who acknowledged that harassment was a
problem, incidents cited included:
77 For each rank in Sylhet, 100% of respondents answered “yes”.
78 In Chittagong, the one Inspector answered “yes”, while 57.14% of Sub-Inspectors and 30% of Assistant Sub-Inspectors answered
“no”. In Dhaka, two of the four Inspectors answered “no”, while the other two answered “yes”. Only one out of 13 Sub-Inspectors
in Dhaka said “no”, while 50% of Assistant Sub-Inspectors answered “no”.
79 In the Bangladesh Police Department, officers from Assistant Sub-Inspector to the highest rank – of both genders – are addressed
as “Sir”.
Survey Findings
WOMEN POLICE IN BANGLADESH
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