This paper explores the evolving nature of purdah, a set of symbolic, spatial, and economic practices governing gender separation, in the context of urbanizing Bangladesh, particularly since the 1990s. Traditionally seen as a mechanism of female seclusion and labor division rooted in patriarchal norms, purdah has undergone transformation with the rise of export-oriented industries and increasing female participation in the labor force. While often portrayed as a static cultural practice that enforces gender inequality, the paper challenges such reductive views by examining how women actively negotiate and reconstruct gender identities across urban–rural divides, class, religion, and education. Drawing on prior studies and fieldwork, the author examines women’s work in garment factories, domestic service, and more recently, in shopping malls. The study problematizes the tension between cultural relativism and feminist universalism, emphasizing that purdah can function as both cultural identity and structural violence. It ultimately argues for an understanding of purdah as a performative and context-dependent practice that reflects women’s agency within shifting socio-economic conditions in contemporary South Asia.