Gender, space, and resistance: street vendors of Dhaka city

Street vending is illegal in Dhaka city, and street vendors exercise various strategies to operate under these prohibitive regulations. In this study, we analyse how women and men vendors exercise different resistance strategies and how differences in spaces shape these strategies. Spaces also shape gender relations, which in turn influence the different forms of resistance used by street vendors. Drawing upon 32 in-depth interviews (16 women and 16 men) and 10 key informant interviews (all men) with street vendors in Dhaka city, we compare the resistance strategies in two vending locations: a long-established vending space and a newly established one. To capture the subtle forms of resistance that women tend to choose, we analyse both the overt and covert types of resistance. In the long-established vending area, the intersection between class and gender produces certain power relations and allows men to occupy a space and establish specific social and political linkages. Thereby, women are excluded not only from the space but also from information and opportunities. On the other hand, in the newly established public areas, men do not receive political support, and hence gender norms are more lenient and enable both women and men to adopt similar forms of resistance, making the vending area more vibrant.