A cross-section of 243 citizens on Tuesday called for a proper investigation into the death of Sornomoye Biswas, a trainee graphic designer at the online news portal Dhaka Stream, and demanded that those responsible be held accountable.
The statement also urged the authorities to examine the role and negligence of the Dhaka Stream authorities.
Sornomoye, 28, was found dead at her home in the capital鈥檚 Sobhanbagh area Saturday evening. The police described the incident as a suspected suicide.
Her death occurred three months after she, along with 26 colleagues, lodged formal complaints against Altaf Shahnewaz, the Bangla content editor of Dhaka Stream, alleging sexual harassment, inappropriate behavior, and psychological abuse.
The citizens鈥� statement, sent to media outlets by Jahangirnagar University anthropology associate professor Rezwana Karim Snigdha and poets Girish Goiric, was endorsed by prominent figures including human rights activist ZI Khan Panna, poets Nirmalendu Goon and Gultekin Khan, Transparency International Bangladesh executive director Iftekharuzzaman, Dhaka University professors Zobaida Nasreen, Kaberi Gayen, and Samina Luthfa, economics professor Abdul Bayes, and barrister Jyotirmoy Barua, among others.
The citizens鈥� statement laid out three key demands鈥攖he alleged sexual harasser, Altaf Shahnewaz, along with any others involved, must be brought to justice following a proper investigation, the role and negligence of Dhaka Stream authorities must be investigated, and every institution must strictly implement sexual harassment prevention policies to ensure women鈥檚 safety, dignity, and fairness at workplaces.
