Dola Mohila Unnyan Songstha (DMUS) organized the workshop supported by RMP at Nanking Darbar Hall in Rajshahi. Photo : BSS

RAJSHAHI, Sept 20, 2025 (BSS) - Speakers at a workshop here today unequivocally called for an integrated effort from all government and non-government organizations concerned to ensure safe cyberspace for women and children.

Simultaneously, a multi-pronged approach consisting of enhanced digital literacy for all users, robust legal frameworks and increased law enforcement capacity for investigating cyber crimes has become an urgent need to ensure safer cyberspaces for women and children.

Police officials, researchers, legal experts and media personnel made the observation while addressing a workshop on research tools validation and constructive feedback from stakeholder and civil society.

Dola Mohila Unnyan Songstha (DMUS) organized the workshop supported by Rajshahi Metropolitan Police (RMP) at Nanking Darbar Hall as part of conducting a research title "Safe Cyberspaces for Women and Children: Challenges of Existing Technological and Legal Perspectives".

With RMP Commissioner Muhammad Abu Sufian in the chair, the workshop was addressed by Additional Deputy Inspector General of Police Khorshed Alam, General Secretary of Rajshahi Advocates Bar Association Zamshed Ali, DMUS Vice-president Prof Shahidullah Ansary and Executive Director Belal Uddin.

In his remarks, Commissioner Abu Sufian stressed the importance of awareness-building on safe online practices, such as recognizing phishing attempts, creating strong passwords and avoiding suspicious links.

He added that empowering communities and involving young people in designing and implementing safety programmes could lead to more effective grassroots-level prevention. 

Closer collaboration between law enforcement agencies, community groups and civil society, he noted, is essential to strengthen digital safety initiatives.

The RMP chief also highlighted that the Police Cyber Support for Women service provides legal and technological support to victims of cybercrime, linking them with relevant police units and victim support centres. 

In addition, the Anti-Terrorism Unit operates a dedicated cybercrime help desk, with contact details available in its official directory.

The speakers unanimously emphasised the need to integrate digital literacy into education systems, with a focus on developing critical thinking skills that would enable users to better identify and navigate potentially harmful online content and interactions.