Women’s attire in Bangladesh has become a battleground where autonomy clashes with societal control, exposing deeper struggles over power and conformity. From the Magura rape tragedy to the Shahbagh mob justice and relentless online harassment, the policing of women’s bodies has seeped into both public and digital spaces. Against a backdrop of historical resilience, the fight for equality is overshadowed by growing oppression. This piece calls for urgent reforms and cultural reckoning. Will Bangladesh uphold its legacy of liberation, or continue to confine its daughters to invisible chains?
The evolution of women’s attire in Bangladesh over the decades has been profoundly influenced by a confluence of social, cultural, and historical determinants. In the 1960s and 1980s, as reflected in old photographs and the university days of earlier generations, many women were seen wearing saris or salwar kameez. These choices reflected the cultural norms and societal expectations of that time period.
However, in contemporary Bangladesh, there has been a noticeable shift in how women dress in public spaces, this transformation cannot be attributed solely to individual preferences or religious obligations. Rather, it reflects a complex interplay of factors, including societal attitudes toward modesty, evolving interpretations of cultural and religious identity, and the influence of global and local trends.
For some, these changes represent an expression of faith and alignment with personal or community values. For others, they are a response to increased societal scrutiny and the pressures of conforming to prevailing norms around women’s visibility in public spaces.
This shift speaks to broader social dynamics, where clothing becomes a focal point of discourse on morality, identity and power. The growing emphasis on modest dress, while meaningful for many, also highlights the ways in which societal expectations can disproportionately target women, framing their attire as symbolic of collective values. It is essential to approach these changes with nuance, recognising the diversity of experiences and choices that shape how women in Bangladesh navigate their identities in an evolving cultural landscape.
The discourse surrounding women’s clothing in Bangladesh extends beyond the superficial dimensions of style or modesty, serving instead as a site of power dynamics and societal control. Women’s sartorial decisions are seldom rooted solely in individual preference; rather, they are frequently shaped by the pervasive scrutiny of societal norms and the implicit need to navigate public spaces with caution. These choices, often framed as personal, are fundamentally influenced by a broader cultural landscape that polices women’s bodies under the guise of morality and propriety.
Recent incidents happening in Bangladesh exemplify this systemic issue. In one instance, a widely circulated footage depicted a mob confronting a young woman at a tong, castigating her for smoking a cigarrette—a behavior deemed inconsistent with socially prescribed notions of femininity. In a separate case, a staff member at Dhaka University publicly harassed a female student, alleging that her attire was “too revealing” and therefore inappropriate.
These occurrences are not isolated but symptomatic of a deeper pattern in which self-anointed guardians of morality assert dominance over public spaces. Through mechanisms of shaming, intimidation and sometimes violence, these actors seek to enforce conformity and uphold restrictive cultural norms.
Such phenomena highlight the pervasive nature of gendered surveillance and its implications for women’s autonomy. Public spaces become arenas where women’s behavior and appearance are scrutinised, with any perceived deviation from normative expectations met with hostility or condemnation. The regulation of women’s clothing thus functions as a proxy for broader societal efforts to assert control over their agency and limit their freedom of expression.
These patterns necessitate critical examination, challenging the structural and cultural frameworks that perpetuate gendered inequalities under the guise of safeguarding morality and tradition.
The policing of women’s clothing has not only affected how women navigate public spaces but has also created an atmosphere of fear and control within their homes. I have heard firsthand accounts of women altering their clothing choices to avoid judgment or harassment. A friend of mine, a doctor, shared her experience of being publicly ridiculed for not covering her head. Another acquaintance recounted how wearing a red “bindi” drew snide remarks and unwelcome comments, even from her relatives.
This culture of control operates on a continuum, from seemingly minor criticisms to outright harassment and violence. Women are left to question their autonomy, their worth reduced to how much of themselves they choose to hide from the world.
The rise of social media has further amplified the policing of women, with platforms like Facebook becoming both a battlefield and a surveillance mechanism, where posts by women often attract a torrent of abuse.
A recent example is a college student in Rajshahi who shared a photo wearing a lehenga during a festival – within hours, her picture was inundated with comments comparing her to a “prostitute” and calling for her family’s address so that “lessons in decency” could be taught.
In another case, an individual named Adrita Roy became the target of relentless online harassment simply for defying societal expectations. Such digital witch hunts shrink the already limited spaces women have, reinforcing the idea that their bodies and choices are not their own but are subject to public approval and investigation.
These incidents and patterns reveal a grim reality: that the policing of women’s clothing is not about modesty or morality but about power. By controlling how women dress, speak and behave, society seeks to reinforce a patriarchal structure where women are subjugated and their autonomy erased.
Even progressive spaces, such as universities, which were once arenas of dissent and free thought, now silently enforce dress codes to avoid “controversies.” This silent complicity perpetuates a system that prioritises control over compassion, modesty over merit, and conformity over courage.
The transformative change required to address systemic gender inequalities in Bangladesh cannot be achieved through isolated essays, viral hashtags or fragmented advocacy. It necessitates a cohesive and collective response, driven by sustained systemic reform and an unwavering commitment to justice. Legal mechanisms must be strengthened and rigorously enforced, ensuring that perpetrators of harassment, violence and intimidation face unequivocal accountability.
The transformative change required to address systemic gender inequalities in Bangladesh cannot be achieved through isolated essays, viral hashtags or fragmented advocacy. It necessitates a cohesive and collective response, driven by sustained systemic reform and an unwavering commitment to justice.
Equally critical is the outright rejection of mob justice, a destructive force that perpetuates impunity and undermines the sanctity of lawful governance. Families, as foundational units of society, hold a pivotal role in challenging the silence that enables patriarchy to persist. They must foster environments where daughters are encouraged to assert their autonomy, and sons are instilled with values of respect and equity.
Such cultural shifts, though incremental, are indispensable to dismantling the deeply entrenched gender hierarchies that pervade public and private spaces.
Women must reclaim their rightful place in society—not as subjects of judgment or fear, but as individuals empowered to navigate public spaces unapologetically, free from the pervasive threat of violence or societal scrutiny.
LAM-YA TASNIM works at Central Foundation for International and Strategic Studies (CFISS)
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