Dhaka, June 19, 2025 — Voices for Interactive Choice and Empowerment (VOICE), in collaboration with The Daily Ittefaq, convened the third meeting of the Rapid Response Taskforce (RRT) on June 19 in Dhaka. Held under the project “Collaborative Actions for Promoting Digital and Civic Space and Combating Gender Disinformation,” the meeting brought together a diverse group of journalists, researchers, human rights defenders, and civil society representatives to reflect on current challenges to digital and civic freedoms in Bangladesh.
During the session, VOICE presented eight selected cases documenting issues within digital and civic space, including incidents involving journalists, human rights defenders, arbitrary arrests, and gender-based disinformation. The cases were shared to encourage informed discussion and gather expert reflections on emerging trends and necessary interventions.
Taskforce members expressed deep concern about the trends illustrated in the documentation, noting the importance of transparent reporting, rights-based responses, and alignment with international human rights frameworks. Participants also reflected on recent institutional developments, including challenges faced by media professionals, and emphasized the role of media employers in ensuring a safe and enabling environment for journalists.
Md Rezaur Rahman Lenin, academic and activist, remarked, “Any violation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, regardless of its legal status or political sensitivity, must be documented and addressed. Silence can unintentionally normalize injustice.”
Afroza Shoma, gender and media researcher, added, “Civic space has become increasingly difficult to navigate. It is important for rights-based organizations to be clear about their scope and language, to maintain credibility and sustain their impact.”
Recommendations emerging from the discussion included, developing a practical toolkit integrating taskforce members’ suggestions, enhancing legal follow-up mechanisms, refining a national strategy on disinformation with clearer methodologies and language, and so on.
The meeting reaffirmed the shared commitment to protecting freedom of expression and to fostering collaborative responses that support civic resilience in the face of ongoing challenges.
The Rapid Response Taskforce (RRT), established in 2024, is a multi-stakeholder initiative led by VOICE and jointly implemented with The Daily Ittefaq. The platform includes journalists, digital rights defenders, gender and media experts, academics, and representatives from civil society and indigenous communities. It aims to serve as a watchdog and early response mechanism to monitor, assess, and respond to violations of civic space, particularly those impacting freedoms of expression, assembly, association, and digital rights.
Senior journalist Sultan Mahmud, Sharaban Tohura from Nijera Kori, and indigenous rights activist Dalia Chakma were among the distinguished participants at the meeting.