The National Citizen Party (NCP) has strongly denounced and protested the ongoing social media campaign linking party leader Dr Tajnuva Jabeen to the recent leak of a private phone conversation involving another activist, Sarwar Tusher, and a woman.

The party also warned that legal action may be taken against those involved if such activities persist.

Recently, a private phone conversation between NCP Joint Convenor Sarwar and a woman was leaked and circulated from the Facebook page of expatriate user Jawad Nirjhor. Following this, several individuals copied the audio and attempted to portray the conversation as being between Sarwar and fellow NCP Joint Convenor Tajnuva by overlaying her image onto the audio posts.

Another expatriate Facebook user, Elias Hossain, also hinted at Tajnuva’s involvement in the leaked conversation and is continuing to spread the content.

In response to the incident, NCP has already issued a show-cause notice to Sarwar.

Tajnuva, meanwhile, made a Facebook post saying she had no connection whatsoever to the phone conversation.

In a statement, the NCP said: “The National Citizen Party strongly condemns and protests these types of sexually harassing and abusive campaigns against women. If such campaigns continue, NCP will take legal action against all online and offline perpetrators and accomplices involved in violence against women, and will resist them with full force.”

The statement read: “Following the leak of a phone call on social media, some online platforms and members of fallen fascist parties have launched vulgar, sexually harassing, and false propaganda by involving NCP Joint Convenor Dr Tajnuva Jabeen. This kind of vile campaign is not only an expression of misogyny and abuse, but also a deliberate effort to undermine women’s political agency and reduce the space for them in politics.”

The NCP added, “We are deeply concerned that even some members of anti-fascist political factions have directly or indirectly engaged in this sexually harassing smear campaign. Many online media outlets and media personalities have also acted irresponsibly and unprofessionally in this regard.”

Criticising a mainstream daily newspaper for publishing a “suggestive” photo card implicating Tajnuva, the NCP statement said: “This has made her even more vulnerable in the public domain and has provoked further sexually abusive comments against her.”

Sarwar has admitted that the leaked conversation was indeed his. However, he condemned the act of making his private conversation public on Facebook.

In a Jun 17 Facebook post, he wrote: “Publishing a private conversation between two individuals on social media without consent is a despicable act. I am not above making mistakes, but there is no honour in humiliating me by editing and releasing a three-month-old personal conversation out of context.”

He also protested the linking of Tajnuva to the smear campaign, writing: “This smear campaign is politically motivated. The way my female colleague, a central joint convenor of our party, is being insulted—by attaching her image to mine, writing disgusting and defamatory content, and making videos to defame both of us—is disconcerting. To those who are doing this repugnant work, please stop. Let’s keep political opposition within the bounds of political decency