Publication Type
Working Paper
Version
publishedVersion
Publication Date
12-2025
Abstract
Inadequate transportation infrastructure is a pressing challenge in rapidly expanding urban centers globally. However, the differential impacts of infrastructure improvements for women versus men remain inadequately understood and underexplored. This study addresses this knowledge gap by documenting gender-specific travel patterns and perceptions of safety in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Specifically, we analyze how the introduction of Dhaka’s first mass rapid transit (MRT) line has altered modes of transportation, the frequency of travel, and safetyrelated concerns among women. Our empirical findings highlight that the new MRT line has notably influenced women’s travel behaviors, particularly by alleviating safety concerns that previously discouraged regular travel.
Keywords
mass rapid transit, transport, gender and mobility, Dhaka
Discipline
Transportation
First Page
1
Last Page
28
Identifier
10.56506/INUW1424
Publisher
Asian Development Bank Institute
Citation
AKBAR, Prottoy A.; FUJII, Tomoki; KHANNA, Arpita; and SHONCHOY, Abu S..
Can better transportation infrastructure help bridge the gender mobility gap?: Analysis of the Dhaka Metro Rail. (2025). 1-28.
Available at: https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/soe_research/2843
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Additional URL
https://doi.org/10.56506/INUW1424