Experts have called for coordinated initiatives to prevent, mitigate, and remedy technology-facilitated gender-based violence amid the rapid expansion of digital technologies. Emphasizing stronger policy, accountability, and awareness, they noted that alongside the positive use of technology, effective measures are essential to curb its misuse.
The call was made on Thursday, April 16, at a national consultation meeting held at the CIRDAP auditorium in the capital. Titled “Digital Development and Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence: Prevention, Mitigation and Way Forward—Role of Technology Platforms,” the meeting was organized by the Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication. The project is part of the Citizenship: Civic Engagement Fund (CEF) programme, implemented with funding from Switzerland, Global Affairs Canada, and the European Union, with technical support from GFA Consulting Group.
The session was moderated by development expert Dr. S. M. Morshed.
Delivering the welcome remarks and presenting the keynote paper, A.H.M. Bazlur Rahman, Chief Executive of BNNRC, said that the rapid expansion of technology is giving rise to new and complex forms of gender-based violence. He stressed that integrated measures are urgently needed to ensure prevention, protection, and timely redress.
Speaking in the discussion, Mohammad Anwar Uddin noted that although laws exist in the country to address such violence, public awareness about these laws must be increased. Md. Zahidul Islam added that it becomes difficult for law enforcement agencies to act if victims do not file complaints, underscoring the need to build a culture of reporting.
Speakers highlighted that alongside the benefits of technology, incidents such as online blackmail, identity fraud, image manipulation, data breaches, and cyber harassment are on the rise. Women, children, adolescent girls, and gender-diverse individuals are among the primary victims of such violence.
Data presented at the meeting showed that, according to 2024 statistics from the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics and the United Nations Population Fund, 89 percent of women using social media in Bangladesh have experienced online violence at least once. Women aged between 18 and 30 are particularly at higher risk.
Various forms of technology-enabled violence were also discussed, including cyberstalking, cyberbullying, doxxing, hacking, online harassment, image-based abuse, and child grooming. Speakers noted that doxxing—where personal information is exposed to intimidate victims—can have long-term psychological impacts.
Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission Deputy Director Md. Farhan Alam stated that more than 13,000 complaints were received last year for the removal of social media content, the majority of which came from women. He emphasized that awareness must begin within families.
Speakers also stressed the importance of strengthening policy and institutional frameworks, ensuring easier access to justice, enhancing accountability of technology platforms, and introducing national ID-based account verification systems.
The meeting further noted that women affected by online violence can file complaints through the police service Cyber Support for Women via hotline, Facebook page, and email. However, social stigma and fear continue to prevent many women from reporting incidents.
Discussions also covered digital sovereignty, data protection laws, and the need for policy alignment with international technology platforms. Speakers expressed optimism that effective dialogue and localization of platform policies could bring meaningful progress in controlling online violence.
DBTech/SM/EK/OR
