The inception meeting of the YPSA–SHIKHA Project was held on Saturday, at Port City International University (PCIU). Funded by BRAC and the European Union, the SHIKHA Project aims to establish sustainable systems for the prevention and redress of gender-based violence (GBV), sexual harassment, and bullying across educational institutions, workplaces, public transportation, online platforms, and community spaces.
The meeting was attended by senior leadership of PCIU, including Prof. Dr. Mohammed Ali Chowdhury, Acting Vice Chancellor; Prof. Dr. Ganesh Chandra Ray, Director, IQAC; Prof. Dr. Engr. Mafzal Ahmed, Dean, Faculty of Science & Engineering; Prof. Dr. Md. Fashiul Alam, Dean, Faculty of Business Studies; Prof. Mainul Hasan Chowdhury, Dean, Faculty of Humanities, Social Science and Law; Md. Obaydur Rahman, Registrar; and Md. Salim Hossain, Controller of Examinations. Members of the university’s Sexual Harassment Cell, including its Convener and Member Secretary, were also present.
From YPSA, the meeting was attended by Ms. Nasim Banu, Director (Social Development), along with the Project Manager, Project Officer (Training & Capacity), and Project Officer (MEAL) of the SHIKHA Project.
During the discussion session, Dr. Nasrin Akter, Convener of the Sexual Harassment Cell at PCIU, highlighted that in the Bangladeshi context, harassment and bullying are often trivialized as jokes, resulting in widespread underreporting. She emphasized that while gender-based initiatives frequently focus on women, men are also victims, and access to justice often depends on the victim’s social status or identity. She further noted that witnesses frequently hesitate to come forward due to fear of academic or social repercussions. According to her, fostering a proper understanding among students that harassment and bullying are serious offenses is critical to reducing such incidents.
Prof. Dr. Md. Fashiul Alam, Dean of the Faculty of Business Studies, welcomed the initiative and described the project’s focus as both timely and socially relevant. Reflecting on the project presentation, he appreciated the identification of key intervention areas but expressed concern over the absence of madrasas from the current target groups. He observed that incidents related to harassment and abuse in madrasa settings frequently appear in national media and stressed that depoliticization of value-based education is essential to addressing these root causes.
Prof. Dilruba Akter, Chairman of the Department of Journalism and Media Studies and a member of the Sexual Harassment Cell, expressed enthusiasm about SHIKHA as a continuation of PCIU’s collaboration with YPSA. She emphasized that gender-focused initiatives should ensure balanced participation of both male and female students, as harassment and bullying affect all genders. She particularly appreciated the project’s concept of Persons of Trust (PoT) and stressed the importance of integrating this concept into faculty training so that teachers can become approachable, trusted figures for students seeking support.
The meeting concluded with a shared understanding of the importance of strengthening institutional mechanisms, awareness, and trust-based support systems within the university. Participants reaffirmed their commitment to collaborate with YPSA to ensure effective implementation of SHIKHA activities at PCIU, contributing to the creation of a safer, more inclusive academic environment.
