Riding in Fear: Female Students’ Lived Experiences of Sexual Harassment in CNG Auto Rickshaws in Sylhet City

Abstract In recent years, violence against women has taken on a new form in our society, involving considerable intimidation of women's mobility and dignity. Due to significant under-reporting rates, sexual harassment on public transportation is one of society's neglected aspects of gender-based violence against women. In Sylhet City, the CNG Auto Rickshaw is the primary public transportation mode. Drawing on the findings of a qualitative research design, we aimed to highlight the issue of sexual harassment in CNG Auto Rickshaws. We conducted in-depth interviews with twenty female students from both a public and a private university in Sylhet City. The findings reveal that sexual harassment is common in CNG Auto Rickshaws, with young female students from the universities being highly vulnerable to such incidents. This dehumanizing misconduct causes a significant degree of panic and anxiety among female students, which in turn impacts their academic performance and social lives. Despite experiencing various forms of abuse that result in trauma, none of the participants reported these incidents to the university authorities or the police. CNG Auto Rickshaws seem to provide perpetrators with proximity and anonymity, leading to significant levels of abuse with minimal risk of social or legal consequences.