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Published : 20 Oct 2025, 03:11 AM
Amid the uproar on social media surrounding the death of an employee at the recently launched online news portal Dhaka Stream, five prominent women activists have written a letter to the organisation's editor-in-chief asking several specific questions.
The letter explicitly sought to know what steps the organisation had taken following an allegation of “sexual harassment” against Altaf Shahnewaz, Bangla Content Editor of the portal, and what the outlet had claimed in its public statement.
The letter, addressed to Dhaka Stream Editor-in-Chief Golam Iftekhar Mahmud, was signed by Rehnuma Ahmed, Gitiara Nasreen, Mirza Taslima Sultana, researcher and activist Saydia Gulrukh, and Samina Lutfa.
They identified themselves as women’s rights activists in the letter and have also posted the letter on social media themselves.
The letter read: “We have learned about the ‘suicide’ of Swarnamoyee Bishwas, a trainee graphic designer working at your news portal, from news published on social media and online newspapers. At the same time, we learned that she and several other female colleagues had raised allegations of sexual harassment against Bangla Content Editor Altaf Shahnewaz with you.”
“As women’s movement activists in Bangladesh, we would like to remind you that the High Court issued specific guidelines in 2010 for taking steps to prevent and resolve complaints of sexual harassment in the workplace. After reading the statement issued by your organisation, some questions have arisen.”
The letter raised questions, stating: “We want to know, as a senior official, what steps you took in response to this complaint in accordance with the court's directives? For instance, we want to know whether the ratio of men and women in the two-member probe committee mentioned in the statement was maintained per the High Court’s directive, or if there was an external member?
“We also have questions about the Terms of Reference (ToR) for the investigation committee. This is because the allegation was one of sexual harassment, not merely 'discourteous' behaviour. Yet, we see in your statement that the investigation committee acted on the basis of proof of 'discourteous behaviour'.
“We must also question whether merely withdrawing a departmental head from the newsroom is an effective measure against sexual harassment at all, because while the rule for such incidents is to suspend the accused, it is clear from your statement that your organisation did not do so.”
“What we have learned from the victims contradicts the statement's content and brings Dhaka Stream’s position on the issue of sexual harassment into question.
“According to your claim, the complainants expressed satisfaction with the steps taken. We also wish to know if you possess any evidence to support this claim,” the letter added.
