Women's physical autonomy or freedom of movement in rural Bangladesh was studied using the Demographic and Health Survey (DHS), 1994 data. Logistic regression analysis revealed that women's age, working status, sex of household, membership of non-government organizations, and access to mass media had significant associations with the likelihood of women's freedom to go outside the house or visit a health center. It was interesting to note that higher education had no impact on women's physical mobility. In a very traditional society such as Bangladesh, if women are to be empowered, there is a need for coordinated educational, social and economic intervention programs designed in conjunction with an understanding of women's needs and interests, and which attempt to balance modernity and tradition