Date and Time: August 20, 2 PM – 3:30PM Bangkok time (UTC+7)

Room: Zoom room

Meeting ID: 859 8781 1744

Passcode: 816595

Description:

Join us for an insightful webinar that delves into the complexities of emerging ICT laws in Bangladesh and the broader implications of digital repression across the region. This session will feature a presentation by a distinguished fellow who will share their research on the intersection of technology and human trafficking in Bangladesh, highlighting the urgent need for effective legal frameworks to combat these issues. 

Following the presentation, a Bangladesh policy expert will provide a contextual overview of current and proposed legislation, offering valuable insights into how these laws are shaping the digital landscape in the country.

The webinar will then transition into a regional discussion, exploring broader patterns of digital repression. Participants will gain a deeper understanding of how these developments reflect troubling trends across the region, posing significant legal and political threats to digital rights.

Whether you’re a researcher, policymaker, activist, or simply interested in digital rights, this DRAPAC Series offers critical insights into the legal and political forces shaping our digital futures.

Guest speakers:

Aditi Zaman is a Programme Officer at Digitally Right, where she coordinates digital rights consultations, workshops and trainings, and contributes to research focused on freedom of expression, platform accountability, and digital safety. As a law graduate, she began her career at a leading law firm working as a content moderator for various social media platforms. At Digitally Right, she is committed to advancing rights-based digital governance and creating safer online spaces through community-focused initiatives and evidence-based research.

Nowzin Khan is a lawyer and interdisciplinary researcher working at the forefront of law, technology, and human rights. As a Legal Research Consultant at the Clooney Foundation for Justice’s TrialWatch initiative, she contributes to advancing fair trial rights and the rule of law globally. With a strong interest in AI governance and digital ethics, she explores how technology intersects with conventional crimes and legal systems, particularly in Bangladesh. She advocates for policy frameworks that not only keep pace with technological change but actively safeguard rights, equity, and accountability in an increasingly digital world.

Shariful Hasan has 20 years of experience in the migration, reintegration, and anti-trafficking sector. He is the Head of the Migration Programme at BRAC, the world’s largest non-government organization. Through rigorous advocacy and evidence, he is trying to ensure the rights of migrant workers and their families from the grassroots to the policy level. Under his leadership, BRAC has developed a comprehensive reintegration model, which has supported nearly 35 thousand migrants and survivors. Before joining BRAC, he was a renowned journalist in Bangladesh and wrote a series of investigative reports on migration and trafficking. He is also a member of the thematic group for Migration, Migrants Workers’ Rights, and Anti-Trafficking of the National Human Rights Commission of Bangladesh. Shariful has completed his Masters in Journalism, Media, and Communication. 

Pavitra Ramanujam is a lawyer who leads the digital rights work in Asia for the Association for Progressive Communications (APC). Her work is focused broadly on digital rights and ICT policy in the region. Pavitra has extensive experience working with national and regional digital rights groups in south and southeast Asia on issues related to human rights and internet governance. A key area of her focus has been on freedom of expression on the internet, as well as countering hate speech, misinformation and disinformation online.