Cyberbullying has reached an uncontrollable level in the capital, with criminals increasingly using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to harass women and extort money.
Victims like Soma Akter (pseudonym), a university student, discovered fake Facebook profiles using her name to post AI-generated obscene images. Investigations later revealed her own cousin orchestrated the harassment to humiliate her socially.
In another case, Brishti Khanam (pseudonym) from Shonir Akhra lost control of her social media account to a man named Arif, whom she met online. Arif used AI to create compromising photos of Brishti, using them to blackmail her for large sums of money. Police reports suggest women are the primary targets of these AI-generated attacks, often betrayed by relatives, partners, or classmates.
The Detective Branch (DB) of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police reported a massive influx of complaints. Between 20 November and 30 April, the Cyber Support Centre received 905 general diaries (GDs). These include 130 cases of cyberbullying, 237 financial frauds on Telegram, 220 cases of bKash fraud, and 98 hacks involving Facebook and Gmail.
To tackle the surge, authorities formed a 14-member "Recovery Ranger Team" led by an Additional Deputy Commissioner. The team focuses on recovering stolen digital devices and investigating digital forgery, character assassination, and provocative rumours. "Cybercriminals are exploiting the rise in mobile banking to steal money," an official noted.
While the DB Cyber Support Centre successfully assisted victims like lawyer Ruhul Amin—whose phone was compromised via a phishing link—challenges remain. Law enforcement's technical capabilities are largely concentrated in metropolitan areas, leaving victims outside the capital with limited support.
DC Mohammad Shahrier Alam of the DB Cyber Support Centre urged victims to contact their hotline (01320202020) immediately if they face harassment. Meanwhile, Kazi Mustafiz, President of the Cyber Crime Awareness Foundation Trust, emphasised the necessity of technical awareness. "Users must enable multi-factor authentication and use strong passwords to secure their accounts against hackers," he advised.
Bd-pratidin English/TR
