‘HELP’ app launched for women in public transport 

In a step to bolster women’s safety, the Broadcast Journalist Centre (BJC) and Switch Bangladesh Foundation have jointly launched an app-based service, 'HELP' (Harassment Elimination Literacy Programme).

The app was inaugurated at 11:00am on Saturday at The Daily Star Centre in Dhaka. 

The initiative is funded by the European Union and supported by Free Press Unlimited and Article 19.

The HELP app is designed specifically for smartphone users, allowing women facing harassment on public transport to seek immediate assistance, said Abdullah Al Saleh, director of Solution Spin, a software company involved with the project.

Initially piloted on Dhaka’s Basila-Sayedabad route, some features will be available nationwide, with plans to integrate with the 999 emergency service later.  

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Sheikh Md Sazzat Ali, the event’s chief guest, voiced alarm over rising harassment cases in areas like Magura, Dhaka, and Mohammadpur.