Lady Struggles: Dhaka Edition

Roaming around the streets of Dhaka isn't something easy to do. Dodging the traffic, the puddles, and the forever rotting garbage chilling on the road make it even more difficult when you're a female. Listed below are a couple of problems that ladies in Dhaka come across regularly. 

HUMIDITY
Going to a party or maybe a meeting? Did your hair all nice? But will it last though? Not unless you spend the entire time in a room blasting cool air from an air conditioner. No matter how much hairspray and how many bobby pins you use, the hairstyle will only last for two hours max, and if you have silky straight hair, best of luck. Moreover, your face will become super shiny with oil seeping out of your pores, so the hour spent in front of the mirror doing your hair and makeup pretty much all goes down the drain. Do you have the patience to fix your hair and makeup every hour, ladies? No? Oh and your dress is drenched in sweat? Well, then there's nothing you can really do about this unfortunate situation.

AN ENCOUNTER WITH A MAN ON THE STREET
First of all, wearing a t-shirt has an effect on certain men similar to a child seeing ice cream – they simply can't stop staring. More often than not, you will feel a filthy hand on your back and when you look back in disgust or anger, you'll see them walking away in the opposite direction; their heads turned 90 degrees towards you, with a dirty smirk on their faces. Recently a friend wearing a white kameez with an orna covering the front got a comment from a rickshawala, "shamne dekhi shada duiti phool". Now, why would someone say that? 

THE BIYE ISSUE
"Ki ma school shesh? Eibar bolo tomar biye kobe khabo?" is something girls have to hear way too often from that overly nosey aunty. Not only that, they feel free to pass comments on your looks, height, skin tone, weight, what not. They seem to lack the brain to mouth filter and don't really worry about the girl's feelings. Kalo – no marriage for you. Forsha – very pretty. 

This is the 21st century. Yes.