While not a total surprise the statistics are still quite staggering. At least 73 percent of government offices in Dhaka do not have separate washrooms for women; the same goes for 40 percent of hospitals and 33 percent of educational institutions. This was revealed through a survey done by Poribesh Bachao Andolon (Poba) which has also found that 87 percent of government offices and 80 percent of hospitals do not have any soap or hand washing liquid in the washrooms.

There is absolutely no excuse for such an appalling scenario. In the case of government offices, it is unheard of that women do not have separate washrooms. This should be a basic requirement for any office, more so when it is a public establishment. The survey also points out the lack of public toilets that women can use – most of them are in unusable condition for anyone. The glaring absence of women's restrooms and disgusting state of those that are available, have resulted in most women not going to the washroom for hours on end. This results in all kinds of health complications including bladder infections, urinary tract infections and kidney disease.

It is embarrassing that it took a survey of a voluntary organisation to expose the extent of the problem. A city cannot call itself modern if it cannot provide basic utilities like adequate, clean, separate, public toilets for men and women. An initiative has been taken by both the city mayors to build more public toilets that are also properly maintained. We hope their ambitions are realised.

Meanwhile the government must immediately build properly maintained women-only washrooms in all their offices. On a short term basis it can at least designate some of the existing ones exclusively for women employees.