In Bangladesh, social media is an important medium for expression, news dissemination and civic participation. But this platform is gradually becoming a dangerous weapon of character assassination. Its impact in Bangladesh is not limited to the personal level; it is also deeply damaging the social, professional and democratic structures. It is a silent digital violence that can destroy an individual's honor, dignity and social standing in an instant.
We can prevent "Character Assassination" on social media in many ways. At the individual level, what can be done is to maintain ethics in online behavior and refrain from spreading rumors. Also, what can be done for the victim is to seek legal help, report and block, preserve evidence. And the responsibility of social media platforms is to remove content quickly, take action against fake IDs, ensure a transparent reporting system, etc. These sectors are capable of playing a helpful role in solving "Character Assassination" or character assassination on social media.
There is no specific law called "Character Assassination" on social media in Bangladesh. However, some of the laws related to it are - Digital Security Act, Act No. 46 of 2018. This law is most widely used to deal with crimes committed on social media. The Penal Code, 1860, provides for false posts, propaganda, character insinuations on social media and their punishments. Also noteworthy is the Information and Communication Technology Act, Act No. 39 of 2006. Bangladesh's National Cyber Security Strategy This is the overall plan adopted by the government to protect digital infrastructure, reduce cyber risks and ensure a safe cyberspace.
A study by ActionAid Bangladesh has revealed that in 2022, 63.51 percent of women in the country were victims of "Character Assassination" on social media, on online platforms such as Facebook, Messenger, Instagram, X (Twitter), Imo, WhatsApp and YouTube. In 2021, the rate was 50.19 percent. The study shows that women are more vulnerable to online harassment than men. The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) says that 13 percent of children and adolescents in the country have been victims of harassment or bullying on social media.
In our country, 78.4% of women were victims of technology-based violence in 2021. According to the 2024 report of the Cyber Crime Awareness Foundation (CCA Foundation), about 59 percent of women are victims of cyber attacks while using the internet. According to the data of the Police Cyber Support Center for Women (PCSW) run by the Police Headquarters, 9,117 harassment complaints were received in 2024. And 90 percent of the victims of this harassment are women. About 37 percent of the victims of "Character Assassination" on social media are students, about 29 percent are government employees, and 20 percent are private sector employees.
According to a survey by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics and the United Nations Population Fund in Bangladesh, 8.3 percent of women have been victims of technology-assisted sexual violence. This is related to blackmail, image abuse, and controlling behavior. According to the Cyber Police Center (CPC) of the police, about 174,000 complaints of online harassment were received from January 2020 to August 26, 2025, and 40 of these cases were due to "Character Assassination" on social media alone.
With the increase in incidents of character assassination on social media in Bangladesh, youth, students, journalists and young activists are taking various preventive initiatives. Such as digital awareness and counter campaigns, explanatory reporting on character assassination, providing legal advice to victims, anonymous reporting help against online trolling, etc. Also, many people on social media deliberately post controversial, defamatory or character assassination content for more views/reach and more engagement. Through this, they can earn money. In some cases, they start character assassination and later ask for money in exchange for deleting the post.
"Character Assassination" on social media in Bangladesh is not just a problem of personal humiliation; it is also a social problem. A clear, effective and gender-sensitive legal framework is essential to prevent character assassination on digital platforms. It is not just a question of legislation or punishment. It is also a responsibility to maintain a balance between freedom of expression and human dignity. Therefore, it is possible to build sustainable resistance against this silent digital violence only through a humane, realistic and up-to-date legal framework.
The writer is an LLB student, Department of Law, World University of Bangladesh
