To the utter conveniences of the people, National Information Service Helpline-333 has started serving the people of all strata through providing them multi-dimensional services.
Through this online service, citizens are getting information regarding land related documents, weather update, passport, national identity card and driving license while urgent measures to prevent adulterated food and unfair means in exams and help control mosquito are also available.
Besides, anybody can complain through this number if they are victims of child marriage, drug, environment pollution, gambling and sexual harassment.
According to helpline authorities concerned, more than 40 lakh people got necessary information through calling this service over the last 21 months while more than one lakh took consultancy during crisis.
About 2,83,420 people were served with different information, 1,11,429 people regarding registration and license, 1,71,439 people regarding government officers and public representative contact number, 61,153 people regarding national identity card, 54,986 people regarding Islamic service, 26,529 people regarding passport, 16,362 regarding weather update, 9,811 regarding driving license, 8,651 people regarding district information and 8,131 people got help regarding birth certificate by calling this helpline.
On the other hand, the authorities got about 16,000 allegations on different issues. Of those, 4,073 allegations were on child marriage, 1,865 related to railway service, 1,312 related to narcotics, 641 related to food adulteration and 578 allegations related to environment pollution came from this service.
The authorities also resolved the problems of these allegations by conducting drives. More than 5,000 allegations including food adulteration, gambling, environment pollution, eve-teasing, excessive fee collection in different public exams and illegal license problems have been resolved by conducting drives.
On 22 September 2018, Pabna Sadar UNO Joynal Abedin got the information through 333 that child marriages are going to occur at three unions of Pabna Sadar Upazila including Hemayetpur, Malonchi and Maligacha. The UNO quickly rushed to a spot with police force and sent the police to other two spots. Apart from stopping those child marriages, seven persons were imprisoned and fined, including the father of the bride and bridegroom.
A student of class six and two other school-going students were saved from the child marriage on the day. And this was possible through the help of 333 online service.
Pabna Sadar UNO Joynal Abedin said, “The allegation comes when child marriage is organised in a village. In this upazila, it was possible to stop about 108 child marriages in last 18 months through hotline calls.”
The Bangladesh Post correspondent also got many evidences that people got multi-dimensional services through this 333 hotline number.
Apart from reporting social problems like child marriage, sexual harassment, drug, gambling or counterfeit commodities, people are getting information on contacting public representatives and servants.
They have been also acquainted with the process of getting any government service, about tourist spots and facilities and about natural disasters and what to do during such situations through the hotline.
Expatriate Bangladeshis can also get the services by dialing 0966678333.
Recently, the authority of a school had been taking excessive fee to fill up the form of Secondary School Certificate (SSC). A student called 333 in this regard. Later, the Upazila administration conducted drive in that school and stopped collecting excessive fee.
A person can avail more than 30 services at a call charge of Tk 0.60 per minute through calling 333.
The 333 hotline has opened the fate of poor people also, especially farmers. If they face any problem, they can apply by giving information through mobile phone. As a result, they are getting land related documents easily. It has known that the service related to land is available in 16 districts of the country. It will be rolled out across the country in phases.
E-Service Specialist and Secretary Mohammad Ashraful Amin said, “The district administration officials are solving the allegations of the victims at the field level. They are the main driving force of this service. Every district administration in the country is working in various ways to solve the social problems.
After a year of trial run, the government has officially launched 333 helpline to provide information on its services and take complaints on social problems like child marriage and sexual harassment.
Sajeeb Ahmed Wazed Joy, the ICT Affairs Adviser to the Prime Minister, inaugurated the helpline at the Prime Minister’s Office on April 13, 2018. Telecom operator Robi and call centre operator Genex have provided technical help to run the helpline.
