Dhaka, 13 September 2025- Human rights advocates, journalists, and civil society representatives have voiced serious alarm over the shrinking civic and digital space in Bangladesh and the rise of gender-based disinformation. They called for urgent measures, systematic documentation, knowledge sharing, and stronger safeguards for freedom of expression and digital rights.
These concerns were raised at the fourth meeting of the Rapid Response Taskforce (RRT), held in Dhaka on Saturday. The event was organized by Voices for Interactive Choice and Empowerment (VOICE) in partnership with The Daily Ittefaq, under the project “Collaborative Actions for Promoting Digital and Civic Space and Combating Gender Disinformation.”
During the meeting, VOICE shared documented cases highlighting recent challenges, including judicial harassment, threats against the media, assaults on journalists, restrictions on cultural expression, and the spread of gendered disinformation to limit inclusive participation. These examples prompted a robust discussion among RRT members on current trends, institutional accountability, and the vital role of media and civil society in safeguarding democratic values.
“The categorization of incidents affecting civic and digital spaces must be precise and insightful, ensuring meaningful analysis and trend assessment to create a reliable knowledge base for future use,” said academic and activist Md. Rezaur Rahman Lenin. “Numbers alone are not important; one human rights violation can carry the weight of many because its gravity matters most.”
Academician and researcher on gender and media, Afroja Shoma, cautioned that media itself can sometimes become a vehicle for rights violations. “If we have a clear vision and intention to document these incidents now, they will stand as testimony for the future,” she emphasized.
Participants underscored the increasing risks faced by journalists and called on both state and non-state actors to ensure safe working environments free from intimidation. They recommended developing robust monitoring and documentation tools for civic space advocacy, strengthening legal support mechanisms, and formulating a refined national strategy to counter disinformation.
Established in 2024, the RRT is a multi-stakeholder platform that includes journalists, digital rights defenders, academics, gender experts, and civil society leaders. It serves as an early-warning and response mechanism to monitor and address civic freedom violations, particularly those affecting freedom of press, expression, association, assembly, and thoughts, among others.
Key participants in the meeting included senior journalist Sultan Mahmud, Nijera Kori representative Sharaban Tohura, and indigenous rights advocate Dalia Chakma.
The session closed with a collective commitment from all stakeholders to protect Bangladesh’s democratic space and strengthen collaboration in defending civic rights nationwide.