“These are common occurrences here, no big deal” — this was the remark made by those present at the Teribazar Traders' Association office when a female shopper, who was recently harassed and abused by a shop employee at the Teribazar commercial center, sent her brother to submit a formal complaint. They refused to accept the complaint letter and turned her brother away.

Located just about 100 yards from Anderkilla in the heart of the city, the Teribazar commercial center houses more than two and a half thousand shops and eighty-two shopping malls. Not only retail shoppers, but wholesale traders from various sub-districts of the district also flock here. According to many, it is the country's second-largest and most reliable wholesale cloth trading hub after Islampur in the capital, Dhaka.

Yet, shoppers coming here to buy goods, especially female shoppers, are constantly subjected to harassment and abuse. It is learned that employees or owners of various shops in Teribazar use any opportunity to behave indecently and offensively, and make vulgar remarks towards female buyers.

The incident of extreme harassment and abuse of a female shopper at the hands of an employee of such a shop occurred on May 19, right during the bustling Eid market. Later, hiding her identity, she detailed the event in a post on a Chittagong-based Facebook group. The comment section of the post revealed many group members sharing various embarrassing incidents they faced, including harassment, abuse, and even sexual harassment by different shop employees and owners in the market.

Following the trail of the post, this reporter contacted the victimized female shopper, who admitted to the authenticity of the event and shared the details. She disclosed that her name is Puja Chowdhury (26); she is a resident of Chittagong city and a recommended officer under the Department of Posts.

Relating the details of the incident to RTV, she said, "On that day, at around 9:30 PM, I went to a shop named 'Ajmir Shopping Center' in Teribazar to buy unstitched fabric. After fixing the price with the shop employee, he cut the fabric without confirming how much I actually needed and started forcing me to buy the entire cut portion. Amid the altercation, he first began behaving poorly and then started addressing me disrespectfully as 'tui' (an informal/derogatory form of address). When I protested, the employee aggressively advanced to beat me and even lunged at me with a shoe. Although nearby shoppers and regular salespersons from a few other shops came forward and tried to restrain him, he did not stop; rather, he continued to hurl abusive and obscene language. At one point, he even attempted to touch me physically."

The victim added, "Seeing that the situation was getting worse, I pulled out my mobile phone to call '999' for help. At that moment, the employee tried to snatch my phone and the bag I was carrying, and threatened to violate my modesty. During this crisis, a neighboring shopkeeper assisted me and asked me to stand in front of his shop so that the employee from Ajmir Shopping Center could not misbehave with me any further."

When asked if she received immediate assistance upon calling 999 to ask for help, the victimized shopper Puja Chowdhury said, "They connected me to the duty officer of the nearest police station, which is Chittagong Kotwali Police Station. However, instead of coming to rescue me from that location, the officer told me to visit the station and lodge a written complaint, saying they would take action then. How could I go to the police station alone to file a written complaint in such a harrowing situation? Generally, large markets display the phone numbers of the traders' association or owners' association, or at least maintain an office or a control room to ensure the rights and safety of shoppers. But unfortunately, there was no such number anywhere to get immediate help, and under those circumstances, it was impossible for me to go looking for an office room."

She further stated, "Somehow managing to leave that place, I informed my family members, several friends, and well-wishers about the incident. It was then that I found out such incidents happen quite frequently in this market. Shop employees and even owners misbehave, intimidate, and harass female shoppers. Many male shoppers also face embarrassing situations here. I am a recommended citizen for a government job and know a bit more about the law than others. If I have to be harassed and humiliated like this, one can only imagine how ordinary shoppers are treated! Later, I informed a local organization working for women's rights and safety. They advised me to file a GD (General Diary) at the police station and submit a complaint letter to the president of the traders' association. The organization assured me that they would accompany me to the association's office after the Eid holidays to resolve the issue, ensure exemplary punishment for the guilty employee, and compel the association to take all possible initiatives so that such incidents do not recur."

When questioned whether complaints had been submitted to the Kotwali Police Station and the association, she said, "I went to the police station twice myself to file a General Diary (GD). I spoke with multiple officers on duty there, and the process of filing the GD is still underway. However, yesterday (Tuesday), I sent the complaint letter to the association office through my brother. But those present there not only refused to accept it but instead told my brother—'These are common occurrences here, no big deal'. In a country where various quarters are vocal about women's safety and rights, and various anti-eveteasing and anti-rape campaigns are active, the harassment of a female shopper is seen as completely normal by those in charge at Teribazar! I demand a fair trial and exemplary punishment so that no other female shopper has to suffer such harassment or abuse in the future."

To learn about the police action regarding this untoward harassment incident, the duty officer of Chittagong Kotwali Police Station was contacted over the phone on Wednesday (May 27). He stated that if Puja Chowdhury had filed a GD, its record would be at the station and a copy would be provided to her as well. However, simply filing a complaint does not leave a permanent record. Whether a GD or a complaint is lodged, the police take immediate action.

Nevertheless, noting that it was not possible to provide detailed information without looking at the records at that moment and mentioning his busyness, the officer on duty requested the reporter to hang up the phone.

The Teribazar commercial center operates under the management of the 'Teribazar Traders' Association'. Therefore, when the association's office number was dialed to seek a response on this matter, President Abdul Mannan spoke with the reporter. He stated, "I have already come to know about the incident involving the female shopper. Now the Eid holidays have started. Once the market reopens after the holidays, I will summon her along with the complaint letter."

When informed that the matter would be published in the mass media, he replied, "Of course, the matter can appear in the media. We have no objection to that from our side."