999 works; do take help

Monika Mehjabeen Tisha ।।  So often in movies we see a roadside Romeo is portrayed as a HERO, who follows girls with his bike. This situation is showcased as a romantic love affair and this scenario is visible since infinite decades. And for a cherry on the top, a romantic song is played in the background as well. So, few men in reality consider this behavior as a manly act as according to them this is extremely macho. Just imagine how this reel life activity of movies can influence people in real life!!!

My friend and I’ve gone through similar situation like this recently. Let me share the horrible experience of that night. So on 15th June, I, along with my three female friends went to the hyped restaurant “Koolcha” in Dhanmondi. We were there from 7:00 pm to 9:15 pm. Like others, we girls were busy talking and taking pictures. Meanwhile, we noticed a group of boys were perpetually looking at us, approximately five to seven boys. At 9:15 pm, four of us left the place and one of the boys from the group got into the lift with us. I was talking to one of my friends after coming out of the place and she suddenly noticed that the guy from the lift is behind me. To be mentioned, he was very close to me and about to touch me from the backside. My friend asked him instantly, “Brother is there any problem?” The man replied no and said he’s waiting for his friends there. Two of my friends took rickshaw and we two crossed the road and were thinking why the guy was so close!!! We were standing beside Star Kebab and noticed that the man along with his few friends crossed the road and were looking and talking about. The place was quite dark. I told my friend that my instinct says these people are going to follow us with bike if they have any. So we both went to the staircase of Star Kebab and were waiting for our car there. We noticed two of them came and were peeping from a distance. We smelled the danger instantly and my friend immediately informed her husband about the incident over the phone. While getting into the car we noticed that they again crossed the road and were perpetually looking what we are doing from the opposite side of the road. I told my friend that they are going to follow us for sure. After going near to Dhanmondi 5, we saw they are following us with their car. There were four to five guys in that car. Their car came beside ours and all of them looked at us altogether like ferocious animals. We could see the hunger and lust in their eyes.  We were shocked as they had to drive the car with force to follow us. They had an intention to hit our car.  For a second this made us perplexed as it was around 10:00 pm, and women here in Bangladesh are not safe in the morning let alone late nights. Calmly I dialed 999 and told to the customer care service provider to connect me with the nearest police station. In the meantime, my friend was calling her husband again. The car was still following us. I explained to Dhanmondi police everything and we drove to the police station as we were just a minute away from Dhanmondi police station. We parked the car beside the police station and I looked around and noticed there were a lot of police. I got down from the car and ran with all my energy to the back with my phone. I wanted to make a video from a safe distance of their car as I thought they must be behind us. I turned my torch on and noticed they weren’t there. I went back to the police station and a police came to me and asked whether I was the person who called few minutes back.  Polices got in to their car to see where are those guys. But by then the pigs ran away as they could understand that these two women are strong enough to smash their faces.

Both of us were calm as in these situations we have to take action quickly. Generally, I carry a small knife with me but that day we only had courage with us. Both of us were ready to beat them. We were not at all afraid as we knew that only strength could save us from the situation.  We faced situations like this before here in Dhaka when we didn’t have a car with us. Surely going to share that incident someday as well, so at least few women can understand how they can act in these horrible situations. We, women face this every day, right? Let’s be calm in these situations and take proper actions. Guys! 999 works. Do take help. For us, it was not less than life savior. Few things are important to remember: calling the nearest police station, making a video of the criminal and his vehicle, informing a person who can come quickly on the spot and having basic knowledge of self-defense.

The world is NOT safe for girls. It never was. Anything could have happened that day in a matter of few minutes. This is a matter of utmost shock that, why few men who came to a restaurant for enjoying their evening food would follow women like a hungry beast? We could take steps instantly but what if there were another two girls who would have not been able to move quickly? When will all those movies stop showing that following girls in roads is not a symbol of romantic love affair, rather it’s a criminal offense? Dear men, when will you stop considering women as consumable flesh?

Monika Mehjabeen Tisha: Lecturer, Bangladesh University

(The views and opinions expressed by the writers are those of their own and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Feminist Factor)