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Bengali 
In the bid for women’s safety in public transport, the Broadcast Journalist Centre (BJC) and Switch Bangladesh Foundation have together launched the ‘HELP’ (Harassment Elimination Literacy Programme) app. The programme funded by the European Union and aided by Free Press Unlimited and Article 19 was launched today at The Daily Star Centre, Dhaka.
The ‘HELP’ application is intended for smartphone users, it allows women to get immediate help in cases of harassment. Victims can report incidents which will be transmitted to volunteers and local police stations.
There is also the ‘Alert’ feature of the app wherein the real-time location of the user is shared so that timely intervention is possible. All reports will be saved for future legal action and a user can choose to do so anonymously. This app will later be integrated with the national emergency service ‘999’.
Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sheikh Md Sajjad Ali acknowledged the rising cases of harassment stressing that many incidents go unreported due to societal pressures. He suggested enabling direct police reporting through the app anonymously. QR codes will be installed in buses to facilitate quick access to help.
The launch event was attended by activists and officials and emphasized the urgency of addressing sexual violence and ensuring women’s safety nationwide.
