'Women must feel safe online and offline': Tarique outlines 5 urgent priorities for women's safety
Tarique shared the message on his 61st birthday, posting it along with a photograph of himself with his wife, Dr Zubaida Rahman, and their only daughter, Zaima Rahman
BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman today (20 November) said Bangladesh cannot move forward unless women feel safe both online and offline, calling for urgent national actions to protect and empower women in the digital age.
He outlined five urgent priorities that BNP envision implementing for the safety of women.
"Women must feel safe. Both online and offline, at home and in public, in their personal lives and in their professional journeys," he said in a post on his verified Facebook page.
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Tarique shared the message on his 61st birthday, posting it along with a photograph of himself with his wife, Dr Zubaida Rahman, and their only daughter, Zaima Rahman.
"It is undeniable that the digital world now shapes every part of our lives, from our daily routines to the way nations engage on the global stage. The speed at which technology has transformed both the world and Bangladesh is something none of us can ignore," he said.
Tarique said he and his wife often reflect on how different today's world is for their daughter compared to the one they grew up in. "And like many parents and concerned citizens, we feel both hope and worry. The opportunities are greater than ever, but so are the threats."
"If Bangladesh is to move forward, our daughters, mothers, sisters, and colleagues cannot continue to live with fear," he observed.
The BNP leader said every day, too many women face harassment, intimidation, bullying, and violence simply for speaking, working, studying, or trying to live freely.
"This is not the Bangladesh we dream of. And it is not the future our young girls deserve. Women must feel safe. Both online and offline, at home and in public, in their personal lives and in their professional journeys," said the BNP leader.
To help make that a reality, he stated five urgent priorities that BNP envision implementing:
1. A national online safety system: A fast, simple way for women to report cyberbullying, threats, impersonation, and leaked information, supported by a 24/7 hotline, an online portal, and trained responders who act quickly and respectfully. Partnerships with major platforms can improve Bangla-language moderation and ensure abusive content is removed swiftly.
2. Protection protocols for women in public life: Clear national guidelines, rapid legal and digital support, and confidential reporting channels for women who face attacks as journalists, activists, students, or community leaders. No woman should be silenced for participating in public life.
3. Digital safety education: Schools and universities should teach practical digital-safety skills during orientation. Trained teachers act as 'safety focal points', and annual awareness campaigns help young people navigate the digital world with confidence.
4. Stronger community-level response to violence and harassment: Community help desks, safer transport routes, improved street lighting, and trauma-sensitive responders can make daily life safer and more predictable for women.
5. A nationwide push for women's leadership and participation - Leadership training, mentoring networks, and expanded access to childcare in schools, offices, and workplaces can allow women to lead, achieve, and contribute fully. When women rise, the nation rises with them.
Whatever our politics, religion, ethnicity, or gender, one truth must unite us as Bangladeshis: A Bangladesh where women are safe, supported, and empowered is an unstoppable Bangladesh.
Let us work together to make that future a reality, for our daughters, and for the generations yet to come.
