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has made women, especially teenagers and young women, more vulnerable to threats. This is also putting pressure on their education and mental development. The responsibility does not end with just formulating laws; this law needs to be enforced. It is also necessary to make everyone aware at the community level. Steps must also be taken on how to deal with online harassment urgently.”

A few students from various districts shared their community’s situation regarding tackling cyberbullying.

Jinat Ara Haque, chief executive of WE CAN, said, “In our society, parents only think about the safety of their daughters, but they should also think about their sons. Because girls are not responsible for violence against women.”

“In addition to adopting new technologies, it is the responsibility of the government to conduct campaigns on cybersecurity and increase awareness about helplines,” she added.

Masuma Billah, programme head of the gender, justice and diversity programme at BRAC, said, “Just as parents once married off girls to secure their place in society, we are now neglecting their digital security. We are restricting girls from accessing digital spaces and tools, which is widening the digital divide. If they are not digitally empowered, they will ultimately fall behind in the job market.”

Nishath Sultana, director of influencing, campaign and communication of Plan International, and Hasne Ara Begum, social development and gender expert of Asian Development Bank, also spoke at the event.