Cyberbullying targeting women has significantly increased since July, especially targeting politically active women, according to Nahid Islam, convener of the National Citizen's Party (NCP) and opposition chief whip. He stated that they are being targeted in such a way that they are becoming mentally distressed. This situation has forced many women in the student movement to leave politics. We will try to find those lost women through the Jatio Nari Shokti (National Women's Power).
The opposition chief whip made these remarks on Sunday, March 8, at the unveiling ceremony of the NCP's women's wing, Jatio Nari Shokti, at the Sagar-Runi Auditorium of the Dhaka Reporters Unity, where he was the chief guest.
Nahid Islam said that the most frequent question we have faced since the July movement is—where are the women of the July movement now? Why aren't those who were actively involved in the movement on the streets seen in politics as much later? How much does the responsibility for this fall on us as leaders of the movement? That is also a big question. As a result, responsibility falls on us in that area. We will try to find all the female voices of July that have been lost across the country. National Women's Power will try that. Whether they engage in politics or not, we will listen to them and ensure their safety so that they can contribute to the dignity of national transformation and the establishment of an egalitarian society.
He further said that there has been much discussion about our social and political context. It is a reality that not all the women who took to the streets during the July mass uprising later participated in active politics. We have lost a large portion of them from the political arena. However, when we went to different parts of the country on the July march, we met those women and sisters who participated in the movement. Despite their deep desire for change and a strong will to express their opinions, they have not been able to do so due to various surrounding realities.
The convener of the NCP stated that violence against women seems to surge after every election. "We urge the government to resolutely and strictly stop this and take legal action because these things increase in society due to a culture of impunity."
Nahid alleged that the trend of online or cyberbullying targeting women has increased alarmingly since July.
"The toxic influence of the cyber world was so intense that one of our female activists was compelled to commit suicide before the election. She was severely cyberbullied following an incident at Dhanmondi 32. There may have been other reasons in her personal life, but that incident mentally devastated her to the point where she chose the path of suicide."
Also present at the event were Farida Akhter, former advisor to the interim government on fisheries and livestock, and NCP central leaders Nusrat, Jhuma, Jayma, Monira Sharmin, and others.
After the event, Nahid Islam, convener of the newly formed NCP women's wing, announced the Jatio Nari Shokti committee. He announced Monira Sharmin as the convener, Dr. Mahmuda Mitu as the member secretary, and Nusrat Tabassum as the chief organizer.
DBTECH/SIS/EK
