Roundtable Urges Coordinated Action to Combat Online Violence Against Women
Eighty-four percent of victims are forced to reduce their online usage due to prevailing misogynistic attitudes in society, fear of social stigma, and a lack of confidence in legal processes. In such circumstances, stakeholders emphasized that ensuring safe internet use requires not only greater family-level awareness and enhanced digital literacy, but also strict enforcement of laws alongside a fundamental shift in societal attitudes.
They further stressed the need for school-based awareness initiatives on safe internet use, coordinated efforts between government and private sectors to prevent online violence, protection of victims’ privacy, careful handling of information collected following complaints, and the formation of a special wing dedicated to removing violent content. Additionally, they called for the establishment of cyber cells in every divisional city and police station, centralized monitoring of cases, and proactive measures by the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission to block harmful links.
These demands were raised at a roundtable discussion titled “Online Violence Against Women: Ensuring Victim-Centered Support.” The meeting was jointly organized by Cyber Support for Women and Children (CSWC) and Prothom Alo on Monday, March 2.
The keynote paper was presented by Monisha Biswas, Legal Expert at Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (BLAST) and Focal Person of the CSWC platform. The welcome address was delivered by Mahbuba Akter, Director (Advocacy and Communications) at BLAST.
Trishia Nashtaran, founder of “Meye Network,” stated that in cases of online violence, greater emphasis is placed on removing content; however, individuals may retain screenshots or store such content, leaving behind a digital footprint. She added that social media platforms often fail to take adequate action against fake accounts and hateful comments due to revenue interests. Instead, she argued, the state should implement mechanisms to ensure accountability of these platforms.
As the guest of honor, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police Headquarters, Taptun Nasrin, revealed that 87,727 complaints related to online violence against women have been received over the past five years. Of these, action has been taken in 52,702 cases so far, while only 180 cases have resulted in formal lawsuits.
Sara Hossain, Honorary Executive Director of BLAST and Senior Advocate of the Supreme Court, alleged that there is a lack of alignment between the legal processes for combating cybercrime and the evolving nature of new offenses. Professor Kazi Mahfuzul Haque of the Department of Law at University of Dhaka noted weaknesses in the collection and preservation of evidence following complaints.
Professor Nahrin Islam Khan of the Department of Geography and Environment at Jahangirnagar University remarked that she personally faces hateful comments and harassment online on a daily basis. Professor B. M. Moinul Hossain, Director of the Institute of Information Technology at the University of Dhaka, expressed concern that doxing has taken on a particularly alarming dimension in violence against women.
Other participants in the roundtable included Assistant Professor Afroza Soma of the Department of Media and Mass Communication at American International University-Bangladesh; Priya Ahsan Chowdhury, Adviser to the CSWC platform and Advocate of the Supreme Court; Kaniz Fatema, former Director of Bangladesh Women in Technology (BWIT); Sharmin Akter, Programme and Coordination Officer at Women with Disabilities Development Foundation (WDDF); Hema Chakma, Executive Member of the Dhaka University Central Students' Union (DUCSU); and Labannya Pragya, a student of the Department of International Relations at the University of Dhaka.
DBTech/PAO/EK/OR
