The child online safety programme ‘Be Smart Use Heart’ has completed its nationwide outreach to more than 400,000 students and over 70,000 teachers, parents and guardians. The objective of the programme was to build a better understanding, awareness and sensitivity around the safety measure. The child online safety programme was launched in June, through an agreement signed between Grameenphone, Telenor Group and UNICEF. The focus of the agreement was to create awareness to ensure a safer digital experience and the expansion of the Child Helpline Hotline (1098) service by incorporating direct counseling around child online safety issues. ‘Be Smart Use Heart’ programme is an extension of Grameenphone and Telenor Groups commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 10-Reducing Inequalities.
Renowned social elites and policy makers such as State Minister for ICT Division Zunaid Ahmed Palak and Professor Abdullah Abu Sayeed have applauded the initiative for being very relevant and highly needed. “It is our responsibility as parents, teachers or guardians to safeguard our children and to inform them about the positive sides of the internet. We need to be aware of the content that our children are being exposed to and we need to be able to regulate the type of content they see in order to prevent any harmful effect on them,” said Zunaid Ahmed Palak. Reinforcing the importance of ensuring positive growth and knowledge among the bright young students of Bangladesh, Prof Abdullah Abu Sayeed said, “The future of this country lies in the hands of the youth. It is our responsibility to empower our children through such initiatives and keep them safe in the digital realm.”
On reaching the milestone, Grameenphone CEO Michael Foley said, “As the leading telecommunications provider and largest mobile ISP in Bangladesh ensuring a safer online experience for our young students which is very important to us and something very close to our heart. We need to keep on driving these messages across all platforms to ensure that our children experience and engage with the appropriate digital environment and make the most out of it. We will definitely continue to generate greater awareness around the need to ensure a safer digital environment for all.” “Child users of the internet are growing rapidly. Equipping them, their parents and teachers with the knowledge to stay safe online is vital in ensuring the benefit from the internet for children.” said Edouard Beigbeder, representative of UNICEF Bangladesh.
