Why no dedicated rail carriages for women

The High Court, in a rule, yesterday asked the authorities why a special compartment should not be allocated for female passengers and separate reserved seats for children, physically challenged passengers, and senior citizens in every train for ensuring their privacy and security.

The bench of Justice Farah Mahbub and Justice SM Maniruzzaman came up with the rule following a writ petition filed by Supreme Court lawyer Mamtaz Parvin seeking necessary directives on this issue.

Mamtaz's lawyer Ajmol Hossain Khokon earlier told The Daily Star that a special compartment for female passengers is supposed to be arranged in every passenger-train as per sections 64 and 119 of the Railway Act, 1890.

But the provisions of the law were not implemented and therefore female passengers face different problems in the trains, he added.

Secretaries to the ministries of railways and home affairs, and the director general, manager, and inspector of the railway department were made respondents to the rule.

The HC bench asked them to show cause in four weeks.

Mamtaz submitted the petition as public interest litigation on January 13 to the HC seeking its directive on the government to arrange a special compartment for female passengers in every train for ensuring their security and privacy.