Female media employee found dead: UD case filed, family to file another case

The family of a female media employee, who was found dead at her residence in the capital’s Sobhanbagh area last Saturday evening, has filed an unnatural death (UD) case. The family said they will file another case soon.

The woman worked as a graphic designer at the online news outlet Dhaka Stream.

According to information circulated on social media, she was among those who had recently submitted written complaints of sexual harassment against Dhaka Stream’s Bangla content editor, Altaf Shahnewaz.

Sher-e-Bangla Nagar police station officer-in-charge (OC) Imaul Haque said the woman’s brother filed the UD case on Sunday night.

Her other brother, Sanjoy Adhikari, told Prothom Alo that they filed the unnatural death case immediately after her death. After consulting with family members and lawyers, they will file another case soon.

It has been alleged on social media that instead of punishing Altaf Shahnewaz, he was reinstated in his job.

In a statement issued on Sunday, Dhaka Stream said a written complaint had been submitted on 13 July. Following that, Altaf Shahnewaz was withdrawn from the newsroom, and a two-member committee was formed to investigate the allegations.

As the inquiry found evidence of misconduct with some colleagues, the decision to withdraw him from newsroom duties was upheld. The statement also said there was no connection between the woman’s death and the allegations against Altaf Shahnewaz.

Expressing concern over the incident, the Bangladesh Mahila Parishad issued a statement on Sunday, saying such incidents call into question the safety of women in workplaces.

The Amrai Pari Paribarik Nirjaton Protirodh Jote also expressed concern in a separate statement.