28 September 2025
Representatives of government, civil society, and the European Union gather in Dhaka for the national launch of the “Speak Up!” project. © Terre des Hommes Netherlands
The European Union-funded “Speak Up!” project was officially launched at a national inception event at Lakeshore Grand, Gulshan-2, Dhaka on 28th September 2025, bringing together 85 invited guests, including government officials, civil society partners, and youth representatives, to mark the start of a three-year initiative to protect children and youth’s freedom of expression in Bangladesh’s digital space.
The ceremony was opened by Tahmina Rahman, MBE, Executive Committee Member of Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK), who welcomed the 20 participating civil society organisations and youth representatives attending and pointed to the urgent need to address sexual harassment, gender-based violence, and online safety.
“This project will help foster collaboration among community stakeholders, youth groups, and CSOs to create safer and more inclusive environments for children and young people,” she said.
A shared vision for digital safety
Nazrul Islam, Country Director of Terre des Hommes Netherlands, thanked the European Union for its continued support, underscoring the importance of equitable access to education, ending sexual harassment, and combating misinformation among young people online.
Project Coordinator Mykal Mondol then walked participants through the project in detail: implemented from 2025 to February 2028 across Gazipur, Dhaka, Bagerhat, and Satkhira, by Breaking the Silence (BTS), Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK), and INCIDIN Bangladesh, under the technical leadership of Terre des Hommes Netherlands.
Representatives from all three implementing partners shared their roles: BTS spoke about community-level engagement, INCIDIN Bangladesh about national policy advocacy, and ASK about capacity building at the district and upazila level.
A call for collective action
Speaking as a Special Guest, Enrico Lorenzon, Team Leader for Inclusive Governance at the European Union Delegation to Bangladesh, cited research showing that over 63% of women in Bangladesh have experienced online harassment or exploitation, a figure that rises to 70% among young women aged 15–25 in Dhaka.
“Freedom of expression for children and youth is not a luxury — it is a necessity,” Lorenzon said, calling on all stakeholders to listen to the voices of children and youth, protect them, and equip them with the tools to shape a safer, more inclusive Bangladesh.
Mohammad Saiful Hassan, Joint Secretary of the ICT Division, pointed to the forthcoming Cyber Safety Ordinance 2025 as a key step toward stronger online protection for children, while Chief Guest Brigadier General S. M. Moniruzzaman, Director General of the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC), spoke about the role of digital literacy in reducing young people’s exposure to cybercrime.
A.K.M. Masud Ali, Executive Director of INCIDIN Bangladesh, closed the event with a vote of thanks, describing “Speak Up!” as a milestone in placing children at the centre of the digital safety discourse.
