Mohammad Shaikh Salim Reza
On a hushed Thursday Dhaka afternoon, 19-year-old Rini sat frozen in a cyber support center, her phone clenched like a lifeline in trembling hands. Just days ago, her world had shattered- stolen photos from her social media twisted into obscene images by an unseen predator. In a single cruel stroke, the vibrant digital space she once cherished for learning, friendship, and creativity had morphed into a relentless nightmare. Across Bangladesh, countless women, female students, and even experienced media professionals face similar digital threats every day. The digital world, while full of opportunity, has become for many a space of fear, anxiety, and constant vulnerability.
Bangladesh is moving quickly toward a digital-first future; modernising education, transforming media, and expanding e-governance. But one critical question remains: What good is digital progress if women and girls still feel unsafe and unprotected in the very spaces meant to empower them?
The numbers tell a stark story. ActionAid Bangladesh’s 2022 study showed that 63.51% of women aged 15–35 had experienced some form of online violence. A 2024 report by NETZ Bangladesh found that 78% of women in the country face technology-facilitated abuse. Meanwhile, data from the Cyber Crime Awareness Foundation (CCAF) reveals that 59% of cybercrime victims are women a trend that has remained consistent for several years. But women are not the only ones affected. Media professionals particularly female journalists face coordinated online harassment, trolling, doxing, and hacking.
Bangladesh has made impressive gains in digital access- Internet use is soaring, smart devices are reaching rural homes, and schools, universities, NGOs, and government offices now depend on online systems. But this rapid progress hides a critical vulnerability: our legal and institutional safeguards have not kept pace. Without stronger protections, the very systems driving innovation could expose millions to new risks.
The former Digital Security Act (DSA) attempted to address cyber threats, but it lacked nuanced, gender-responsive mechanisms. Women who report online abuse often face skepticism and victim-blaming, lack of confidentiality, untrained local law-enforcement, Slow case progress, psychological trauma. Women from rural communities face double barriers: insufficient digital literacy and limited access to reporting channels. The result? Thousands of cases go unreported. Thousands of women suffer silently. And the digital divide deepens- not only in access but in safety.
Journalists are frontline defenders of democracy. When they face cyber threats, society loses more than individuals – it loses truth, accountability, and transparency.
Media professionals today encounter hacking of personal and newsroom devices, circulation of doctored images, misogynistic online abuse, leaking personal information, and bot-driven harassment campaigns.
Yet only a small number of newsrooms have formal digital safety protocols. Many journalists receive no training on encrypted communication or secure data handling.
If Bangladesh wants a strong, fearless media, it must ensure digital protection for those who carry its truth. To ensure a safer digital journey, Bangladesh must adopt strong, gender-sensitive, survivor-centered, and future-ready measures. There should a criminalization of image-based abuse, deepfake misuse, and non-consensual photo editing. There should be a creation of a dedicated Cyber Violence Against Women Unit under the Cyber Crime Police Bureau. There should be a launch 24/7 female-staffed cyber helplines ensuring confidential, anonymous reporting options and provide free legal assistance and counselling services.
Cyber-safety modules should be included in school and college curricula and train teachers on digital citizenship and reporting pathways. Finally, there should be an establishment of campus digital safety clubs. There should be an introduction of newsroom-level digital security standards that will provide journalists with secure communication tools and establish a National Press Cyber Safety Hotline.
As Bangladesh strides toward its Smart Bangladesh vision, the challenge before us is clear: it’s not simply about becoming digital but about becoming securely and inclusively digital.
We must imagine a future where every girl can explore online knowledge with the fear of being exploited, every journalist can pursue truth without any form of intimidation, every woman can build her business without harassment, and every community that will thrive through safe, equal, and respectful digital participation.
At a recent training session, a young participant shared words that capture the heart of this mission: “I don’t want to leave the digital world.” I want to stay but safely.” Her voice is not alone; it reflects the hope of millions. Turning that hope into reality is more than a goal- it is our national promise.
The writer is a Protection Specialist and CEO of Favor Consultancy
