243 citizens demand fair probe into suicide of Dhaka Stream’s Swarnamoyee Biswas

As many as 243 citizens of the country have expressed deep concern and anger over the “suicide” of graphic designer Swarnamoyee Biswas of the online news portal Dhaka Stream, who recently complained of sexual harassment against its Bengali content editor, Altaf Shahnewaz.

They demanded a fair investigation into the incident to bring the culprits to justice.

At the same time, they demanded that the role of the editor, publisher and head of the human resources department of the media outlet be investigated for not taking action against the accused despite receiving allegations of sexual harassment.

In a statement to the media issued on Tuesday, they said that according to information published in various media outlets, 26 of his colleagues, including Swarnamoyee Biswas, had filed a written complaint with the organisation’s human resources department alleging sexual harassment, indecent behaviour and mental abuse against Dhaka Stream’s Bengali content editor Altaf Shahnewaz.

Nine of the complainants were female journalists.

The statement further said: “Despite written and substantiated complaints from 26 journalists of the organisation, its editor-in-chief and publisher Golam Iftekhar Mahmud did not take any disciplinary action against the accused.

“According to the rules, the accused should have been temporarily suspended in such incidents, but the organisation did not do so.”

Both Iftekhar Mahmud and Altaf Shahnewaz are former journalists of the daily Prothom Alo and are known as top sympathisers of the Yunus-led interim government.

The statement said: “The editor-publisher and head of the human resources department of the media outlet cannot avoid their moral and administrative responsibility in this incident.”

They expressed their anger at the failure to form a sexual harassment prevention committee in the workplace and follow the complaint investigation process as per the High Court’s instructions.

The statement said: “This incident is not just an organisation; it reveals the horrific reality of the working environment of female workers in Bangladesh. Crimes like sexual harassment and mental abuse continue to occur in the workplace. But in most cases, it is not being properly prosecuted. As a result, countless women are suffering from mental anguish in silence, some are being forced to quit their jobs, while others, unable to bear the humiliation and disappointment, are choosing the path of suicide.”

The statement stated that Swarnamoyee Biswas’s death has left a difficult question for the country’s journalistic community, creative people and civic conscience.

“We express deep concern and anger over this incident. The death of Swarnamoyee Biswas should not be lost as another ‘news’. We want her death to be the beginning of change, the awakening of justice.”

The statement made three demands: the accused, including those involved, should be brought to justice immediately, subject to proper investigation; the role and negligence of the Dhaka Stream authorities should be brought under investigation; and the sexual harassment prevention policy should be strictly implemented in every institution to ensure the safety and respect of women in the workplace.

The statement was agreed upon by poet Nirmalendu Gun, lawyer ZI Khan Panna, TIB Executive Director Dr. Iftekharuzzaman, educationist Abdul Bayes, Dhaka University professor Dr. Zubaida Nasreen, Professor Samina Lutfa, Professor Dr. Kaberi Gayen, Barrister Jyotirmoy Barua, poet Gultekin Khan, novelist Nasreen Jahan, actor Kochi Khandaker, filmmaker Dipankar Dipan, Professor Dr. Kamrul Hasan Mamun, novelist Ishaq Khan, lawyer Manzoor Al Matin, columnist Ziauddin Ahmed, researcher Sujat Mansur, novelist Parvez Hossain, CPB General Secretary Abdullah Kafi Ratan, JU professor Professor Abu Dayen, Dr. Masud Imran Mannu, Professor Mahmudul Sumon, Dr. Kasfia Nahrin, Professor Ainun Nahar, Professor Mahmuda Akand, DU professor Dr. Rafiq Shahriar, Dr. Md. Abdur Rahim, Associate Professor Dr. Neelima Akhtar, novelist Aditi Falguni, Professor Kazi Farid, Associate Professor Umme Farhana, writer and researcher Pavel Partha, poet and journalist Naushad Jamil, poet and publisher Sharifa Bulbul, poet and novelist Ahsan Habib, novelist Swakrito Noman, playwright and novelist Ruma Modak, journalist and teacher Sudipto Salam, among others.