Sornomoye not just a headline, but an alarm for workplace safety
Marzia Prova, Rezwana Karim Snigdha, speak to TBS, urging stronger institutional accountability to address systemic failures that enable harassment and its deadly consequences
Remember the name – Sornomoye.
She was but an ordinary woman — like so many across Bangladesh — who went to work, endured.
She too must have been a driven individual.
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At 28, she was working as a junior graphics designer at a Bangladeshi online news outlet.
What is the ultimate cost when staying silent until silence became unbearable? In death, Sornomoye becomes a symbol.
The world may never know what exactly pushed her to take her own life. That truth demands investigation, empathy, and time, especially with a media trial underway.
But one reality stands bare before us again — the workplace in Bangladesh is still not safe for women.
Behind every Sornomoye are hundreds who quietly leave their jobs, defeated by humiliation and fear — their pain unspoken, their names forgotten or erased.
Each office, newsroom, classroom, factory, institution, and organisation must now confront itself.
The law is clear: every institution must have an anti-sexual harassment policy in line with High Court guidelines. But how many truly do? How many enforce it?
The Outcry
The family of Sornomoye Biswas has filed a case over her unnatural death, according to the authorities of the media outlet in a statement on their website on 22 October.
In the aftermath of Sornomoye's death, urgent calls for accountability erupted.
Various statements, issued on consecutive days, criticised the media outlet where Sornomoye used to work.
Public outrage focused on the organisation's failure to act on complaints 28 staff members filed against Bangla Content Head Altaf Shahnewaz on 13 July – seven with specific allegations and others in support.
The complaints alleged bullying, among other issues, but the word "harassment" in particular had not been used. Though the other concerns were alarming enough.
According to a copy of the complaint seen by this writer, the staff stated, "With due respect and humble submission, we, the womenfolk of your organisation, would like to complain about an individual for his inappropriate behaviour in the workplace. We have the following complaint against Altaf Shahnewaz."
They listed — inappropriate body language towards female colleagues; use of inappropriate language towards female colleagues; flirtation; bullying; questioning female colleagues about their personal lives (sexual history); calling female colleagues over the phone at late hours of the night (without any justified reason); unsavoury comments about colleagues; among others.
"We therefore demand that this organisation be responsible enough to solve these issues and protect us from being traumatised in the workplace," they wrote, signing off with, "Your humble female colleagues."
According to the media outlet authorities, a fact-finding committee, comprising the Executive-HR & Admin and Head of HR, was formed the same day.
The management admitted the committee's formation did not fully comply with the amended 2022 Labour Act.
They said that as per the complainants' proposal, Shahnewaz was immediately withdrawn from the newsroom and kept under three months' observation, during which no new complaints, including from Sornomoye, were reported.
Despite serious allegations, Shahnewaz remained in his position, leaving victims – including women journalists – mentally and emotionally distressed, insiders have said.
In reference to this, one of the statements read, "This tragedy has laid bare the grim reality of the working environment faced by women professionals in Bangladesh."
The signatories highlighted how incidents like these contribute to the dropout of women from workplaces and sap professional motivation.
The statements stressed that officials must face moral and legal responsibility, citing the 2009 High Court directives that require all institutions to implement anti-sexual harassment policies and complaint committees.
The signatories demanded nationwide enforcement of the High Court directives to safeguard women's dignity and rights.
From policy to practice: Experts weigh in
Bangladesh continues to grapple with sexual harassment in workplaces and educational institutions, yet the gap between policy and practice remains alarming, experts argue, stating that laws and directives exist, but enforcement and accountability are largely absent.
Marzia Prova, an activist, development professional and member of the Gonotantrik Odhikar Committee, emphasised the urgent need for institutional accountability.
Rezwana Karim Snigdha, associate professor of Anthropology at Jahangirnagar University and a gender expert, echoed these concerns, highlighting the systemic failures that perpetuate harassment and its deadly consequences.
'Collective action for building gender-sensitive institutions'
Snigdha said Bangladesh must cultivate a pool of people genuinely committed to change.
"Because we are not working together," she says, "the same problems keep recurring again and again."
Prova stresses, "If an institution genuinely commits to creating a gender-sensitive environment, it can certainly prevent sexual harassment in the workplace."
Yet, she points out, most institutions do not take the issue seriously. Her previously done research on educational institutions reveals that many lack even basic anti-sexual harassment policies.
Snigdha underscores that beyond committees, awareness of gender sensitivity is minimal.
"People don't even know what it means," she says. Even casual remarks like "you're too fat" or "too skinny" can be insensitive.
She advocates for mandatory workshops for all staff, emphasising boundaries, respectful communication, and gender-sensitive reporting.
"Hardly any workplace conducts such training. Few reporters know how to talk and write without gender-insensitive language," she notes.
Training, she adds, teaches boundaries – what to say, how and when.
Both experts argue that gender-sensitive environments require proactive institutional culture, not just policy documents.
HC directives: 'Enforcement is weak, leaving survivors unprotected'
The 2009 High Court ruling remains a cornerstone of the fight against workplace harassment.
Following a writ petition by the Bangladesh National Women Lawyers' Association (BNWLA), the court identified the issue of sexual harassment at workplace and educational institutions.
In the ruling, the court also issued a set of guidelines to be followed by the government and relevant institutions until a law has been passed.
In another writ petition by the same petitioner in 2011, the court determined that sexual harassment outside workplaces and educational institutions must also be addressed.
Therefore, in agreement with the 2009 judgment, the court issued a supplementary set of guidelines.
One of which was, rejecting the euphemism "eve-teasing", the court defined sexual harassment to include unwelcome physical contact, sexual demands, inappropriate remarks or gestures, and any conduct creating a hostile environment.
The HC issued directives for handling complaints – submissions can be written, emailed, or oral initially, and investigations must conclude within 60 days if filed in writing.
Committees must consist of five members, chaired by a woman, with women given priority in membership. Two members must be external, including at least one expert in the relevant field.
The accused should be temporarily relieved of duties during investigations, and confidentiality must be maintained.
Criminal offences, such as rape, fall outside the committee's remit and must be reported to police immediately.
Gender expert Prova notes that despite these clear directives, enforcement is weak, "thus leaving survivors unprotected and institutions unaccountable."
Where committees exist, authorities and HR personnel often lack the expertise or initiative to handle complaints effectively, and investigations are frequently delayed when the accused wields power, she says.
Snigdha adds that the 2009 High Court ruling has become "a mere piece of paper", with no ministry – law, public administration, or education – assuming responsibility for its implementation. There are no penalties for non-compliance.
"No institution has ever lost a licence or been fined," she notes. Consequently, the ruling is largely ignored.
She further said even when harassment cases arise in universities, no one asks the basic question: Does this institution have a sexual harassment committee? The Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics or others concerned has never surveyed how many actually exist.
Accountability – the missing link
Prova emphasises that committee reports must be submitted to overseeing authorities – University Grants Commission for universities, Ministry of Education for schools and colleges, Department of Factory Inspection for factories, and the Press Council for media organisations.
"Institutions must be held accountable," she says.
Until the High Court directive becomes law, non-compliance goes unchecked, she argues.
Just as financial audits are enforced under threat of sanctions, sexual harassment committees should function under similar accountability measures, including potential suspension or cancellation of licence for negligent institutions, she adds.
Snigdha concurs, calling for even simple accountability measures, such as requiring schools and universities to submit lists of their committees.
"Even a single notice would make a difference," she notes. "Accountability could begin with something simple. The Ministry of Education could require every school and university to submit a list of their committees."
A survey starting with universities in Dhaka could reveal how many comply with the directive that committees include female and external members, she added.
"Failure comes after an attempt. In this case, we've never even tried," she adds.
'Supporting victims requires more than investigation'
Supporting victims requires more than investigation. Prova highlights four essential forms of support: clinical, psychological, legal, and reintegration services.
"Institutions need not provide all services in-house but must establish a one-stop referral system connecting victims to necessary resources, such as city corporation maternity centres."
Snigdha emphasises preventive mental health counseling linked to HR.
"Mental fitness is as vital as physical health. Regular counseling helps reduce stress, burnout, and workplace conflict," she says.
She also stresses a behavioural code of conduct in every organisation, by which she doesn't mean dress code.
"It's about tone, respect, and communication," she says.
Inclusive policies – parental leave for both parents, marriage leave, bereavement leave – are equally essential.
"Everything is interconnected. When HR listens, productivity and empathy rise.
"Because ultimately, every part of this – training, conduct, counseling, awareness – contributes to one goal: a healthy, respectful, gender-sensitive workplace culture."
Many women – especially those who face domestic abuse – seek refuge in the workplace.
"For example, a woman once told me that she was abused at home. She said, 'I want to stay longer at the office so I don't have to go home and face that'.
"Everyone has a different story. We often have no idea what burdens people carry. That's why counseling is so important – to understand what someone truly needs. HR departments should also be aware of which areas in a workplace need improvement. They can easily conduct assessments, talk to employees, and identify what's lacking," she explains.
Men can be victims, too, Snigdha says, adding, "We must break the misconception that harassment is a women-only issue.
"It's equally important to acknowledge that men, too, can be harassed by women. Sometimes, when a woman deliberately creates trouble at work, that also constitutes harassment."
Organisations must hold regular orientations, stay alert to such dynamics, and establish clear avenues for complaints. Even issuing a formal warning after a verified complaint can make a big difference – it shows accountability, and it changes behaviour. "That's how the workplace environment improves."
Both experts stress that victim support must be systemic, accessible, and institutionalised.
'Garments, educational institutes are vulnerable sectors'
"The garments industry is the most vulnerable sector," Prova warns.
While incidents in other sectors occasionally make headlines, sexual harassment in garments is widespread and under-reported, she says.
Patriarchal social norms, state neglect, and cultural impunity make it extremely difficult to create gender-friendly institutional environments, she adds.
"Ending victim-blaming and building safe workplaces demands sustained effort from grassroots organisations to the state."
Snigdha highlights broader societal obstacles. She calls attention to persistent victim-blaming, lack of enforcement, and workplaces where women leave or disappear from visibility due to harassment.
"If more than half our workforce – women – can't work safely, the economy will collapse.
"It's not just a social problem; it's an economic one," she notes.
Both experts insist that the High Court directives are comprehensive; the problem lies in implementation.
"All educational institutions and workplaces – public, private, and industrial – must establish and activate anti-sexual harassment cells and be held accountable for their effectiveness," Prova concludes.
"Policies exist. Practices must follow. The basics haven't even started, and that is where we must begin," she adds.
'Let's make Sornomoye immortal'
Snigdha emphasised honouring victims through institutional change.
Reflecting on the tragedy that sparked national attention, Snigdha says, "It's in our hands whether we allow Sornomoye to die symbolically. She lives on – as a call to conscience.
"Whether her name becomes a mark of pride or a sign of our collective failure depends on how we respond."
She urges concrete action, "Let's make Sornomoye immortal by ensuring every media house – print, TV, online – has a sexual harassment prevention cell as per the High Court's policy. That would be a true tribute."
"It's time to pay tribute to Sornomoye not with condolences, but with concrete action."
