Women selling tickets at bus counters is unusual in Bangladesh as this profession is absolutely dominated by males. But some female students seem to have challenged these deep gender prejudices.

Helana Chisim, Priyanka Rani, Bristi Mankin, Mousumi Thigidi, Lihina Majhi, Nupor, Nusrat and Bobita Sarker took up the profession of selling bus tickets at Hatirjheel bus counters proving once again that women are coming out of traditional roles in society.

Helan Chisim, Bristi Mankin started work in January. Priyanka Rani and Bobita Sarker started in July while Mousumi Thigidi, Lihina Majhi, Nupor and Nusrat began in mid-August.

These women work for eight hours, from 7:00am until 3:00pm, six days a week.

In Hatirjheel area, there are seven ticket counters of the special bus service run by HR Transport Agency. Altogether, there are 16 people working in the counters, including these eight women.

At first, the girls were a little worried about the conservative values that still remain strong in the society but since beginning to work, they have overcome that fear and are now thriving.

"Initially, I was hesitant about the job, as most of the people who come here are not very educated and we were not sure of how they would react to us. But I thought of giving it a shot," said Helena Chisim, a student of Government Titumir College.

Helena, who is from Mymensingh, came to Dhaka in 2010. She said she faced a few problems at the beginning but that did not deter her.

Priyanka Rani, who has done her HSC, said, “I started working here as I had a bit free time after my HSC exams. I thought of using this vacation to earn some money. And this job helps me support my own expenses.”

Alongside their work, these girls still have to find time to do their household chores and studies.

Bristi Mankin said their office grants them leave before exams if anyone needs them.

The girls also have the same share of challenges at work that their male colleagues face. They do not get lunch breaks at proper times and they have to face bad behaviours of customers every now and then.

"The other day one customer scolded me for the delay of the bus and called me a puppet of the company … I had nothing to do with the delay," said Lihina.

The biggest problem these girls face is the lack of toilet facilities in Hatirjheel area.

"If we call the office then they send us a car so that we can go to the office and use the facilities there,” said Bobita.

The tin-built small ticket counters become really hot around noon and they have no fans or other cooling systems inside.

"It is unbearably around noon," said Bobita.

HR Transportation has eight buses that run from 7:00am to 11:00pm every day. The ticket counters at Hatirjheel were set up under their own management.

Asked about sanitation and temperature issues, HR Bus Service Manager Zahangir Alam said, "The high officials of Hatirjheel project authorities promised to set up public toilets in Hatirjheel area soon which will solve the problem."

He also said the project authorities will also set up permanent ticket counters with all facilities required and their own counters have been set up on a temporary basis.

Zahangir, however, pointed out that they were aware of the extra security needed for the girls, which is why the female students are all given morning slots.