On January 14, 2023, Digitally Right, in partnership with EngageMedia, co-hosted the Bangladesh solidarity event of the Asia-Pacific Digital Rights Forum in Dhaka. Held alongside simultaneous events in Bangkok, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, and Manila, the gathering brought together around 30 participants, including academics, journalists, lawyers, feminists, researchers, and digital rights advocates.
The day-long event featured sessions on online media freedom and censorship, hate speech and online gender-based violence (OGBV), and concluded with a focus group discussion (FGD) on surveillance awareness and the use of open and secure technology. The media freedom session unpacked the state of digital expression in Bangladesh, highlighting how government actors often restrict free speech and impose broad “reasonable restrictions” on fundamental rights. In the OGBV session, participants examined the gendered impact of hate speech and online violence, especially its rise during the pandemic and its effect on feminist movements and marginalized communities.
The concluding FGD explored how civil society actors perceive and navigate surveillance risks. Participants shared experiences of state and non-state surveillance, discussed barriers to adopting secure digital tools—such as cost, language, and digital illiteracy—and reflected on the ethical responsibilities of working safely online. Tools like encrypted messengers, VPNs, and password managers were discussed as essential yet underused.
The event ended with a cross-country video call linking participants from all five solidarity events, fostering regional dialogue and collective action in defense of digital rights across Asia-Pacific.
