Country Manager of the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) Bangladesh and Bhutan Sudhir Muralidharan on Thursday said digital violence is not a standalone issue - it is a development, governance, and human rights challenge.
Stressing the shared responsibility of all stakeholders at a roundtable, he said today’s dialogue underscored the need for collective, coordinated action that centers the safety and dignity of women and girls.
UNOPS Bangladesh, in collaboration with Aspire to Innovate (a2i), the ICT Division, the Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS), and the High Commission of the Republic of Maldives in Bangladesh, convened the high-level roundtable titled “UNiTE to End Digital Violence Against All Women and Girls.”
The event brought together government officials, diplomats, legal experts, mental health professionals, private sector leaders, civil society representatives, and media to address the growing threat of digital violence in Bangladesh.
The event centered on the urgent rise of online gender-based violence, ranging from cyberstalking and harassment to deepfake exploitation and image-based abuse and emphasized the need for coordinated, multi-sectoral action to build a safer digital environment for women and girls.
The session, hosted at the ICT Division in Agargaon, was moderated by Dr Tasneem Siddiqui, Executive Director, Refugee and Migratory Movements Research Unit (RMMRU).
Opening the event, Project Director (Joint Secretary), a2i Md. Abdur Rofiq highlighted the accelerating risks alongside Bangladesh’s rapid digital transformation.
“Digital spaces are essential for opportunity and participation, but they must not become spaces of fear. Protecting women and girls online is fundamental to ensuring an equitable digital future.”
Delivering the keynote speech, Barrister Tasnuva Shelley, Deputy Attorney General & Advocate at the Supreme Court of Bangladesh, examined the gaps in legal and institutional frameworks.
“Technology is evolving faster than our laws. Survivors need faster remedies, stronger safeguards, and systems that can respond meaningfully to new forms of digital abuse.”
High Commissioner of Maldives to Bangladesh Shiuneen Rasheed reaffirmed the Maldives’ commitment to advancing digital rights:
“We stand with Bangladesh in recognizing digital safety as a regional priority. Empowering women and girls online is central to ensuring their full participation in society.”
Shish Haider Chowdhury, Secretary of the ICT Division, further emphasized the government’s commitment to strengthening digital governance:
“Bangladesh’s digital transformation must be anchored in safety. The ICT Division is working to reinforce reporting systems, enhance cyber investigation capacities, and promote responsible digital citizenship.”
The dialogue ended with a collective call to action to strengthen policy frameworks, introduce user-friendly reporting tools, enhance digital literacy, and improve cross-agency collaboration to prevent and respond to digital violence.