Female cops face serious problem

Female police members in Dhaka face problems as there are no toilets at police boxes. Though the sufferers have urged the higher authorities to take measures in this regard, no measures have yet been taken.Female sergeants say they need to go to toilet at least two or three times within eight hours of duty. But most traffic points have no toilets.

To respond to the natural call, one has to go to nearby bus counter, government office, shopping mall or guard's toilet. According to the traffic department, female police members work in two shifts every day from 8:30 am to 11pm along with their male counterparts.

No arrangements have been made for women sergeants to respond to their natural calls while discharging their duties on roads. As a result, they face problems every day. While male police personnel can go to nearby mosques or markets, it is not possible for female cops.Lima Chishim, an on-duty female sergeant at Shishumela intersection at capital's Shyamoli, told The Asian Age, "We feel embarrassed as there are no toilets at police boxes. We work with sun and rain."

Lima, a graduate from Eden Women's College, joined Bangladesh Police as a female sergeant in 2015. After training, she started her job in Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP). She is a member of the first batch of country's female sergeants.There are about 1325 women police personnel are working in Dhaka Metropolitan Police DMP. Of these, 35 women sergeants work in the capital. Besides sergeants, women constables are also in charge of road traffic control.

While talking to The Asian Age at the police box in front of Suhrawardy Hospital, Sergeant Ismat Tara said it would be better to have separate toilets for traffic police. "The issue has been raised in the meeting. High officials said they were trying to solve the problem," she further said.

On the issue, Joint Commissioner (North Traffic) Md Abdur Razzak said, "The city corporations are responsible for setting up police boxes. Currently, police boxes have no toilet facilities. On duty sergeants especially female members face troubles while discharging their duties. We have sent letters to the city corporations and they have promised to set up modern police box which needs time."

Dr Asaduzzaman Chowdhury, Emergency Medical Officer at Sk Russell Gastroliver Institute & Hospital, said, "An adult has to drink 2.5 to 3 liters of water in a day. Lack of drinking water, as it is true for women sergeants, may cause Urinary Tract Infection (UTI), dehydration and several kidney related problems.Contacted, both city corporations about the progress in setting up police boxes with modern facilities, they refrained from making comments.