BTRC launches helpline for raising Blue Whale awareness

The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) has urged people to call at '2872' if any web link, web address, mobile phone apps or any information related to suicide game 'Blue Whale' is found, reports UNB.

The directive came from a BTRC awareness message, signed by its senior assistant director M Jakir Hossain Khan, on Tuesday.

The message also urged the parents, teachers of the educational institutions and all concerned to be aware and keep children and young generation under strong surveillance while using internet to ward off any untoward incident related to 'Blue Wheal'.

However, the BTRC has not yet found any allegation or identified any pacific link related to internet-based game 'Blue Whale', also known as 'Blue Whale Challenge', said Sarwar Alam, secretary of BTRC.

"We have heard about the game through different social networking sites but yet to find any link of this game. We are carrying out investigation to find out the origin of the game," Sarwar said while talking to UNB on Tuesday.

The BTRC has recently had a meeting with International Internet Gateway (IIG) seeking support to prevent the expansion of the game, Sarwar said adding police have also been investigating the incident with necessary support from the state-run telecom regulatory authorities.

Earlier on Monday, home minister Asaduzzaman Khan asked BTRC to look into the matter.

The Blue Whale Game is a 21st-century social network phenomenon that is claimed to exist in several countries, beginning in 2016.

The game reportedly consists of a series of tasks assigned to players by administrators over a 50-day period, with the final challenge requiring the player to commit suicide.

Recently several incidents in the neighbouring country India and a reported incident in Bangladesh brought the issue under the limelight.