Hotline numbers should really serve people

Though some special numbers were introduced to extend fast services to service seekers and reduce their sufferings, the government’s much-publicised hotline services have largely failed to serve their intended purpose. However, the reality is quite different. When people call these numbers to seek services, they usually have to wait for a long time as the lines remain busy. In many cases, they do not get any service at all.
According to a report published in a Bangla daily recently, a two-month investigation into government hotlines has revealed widespread irregularities and inefficiency in their operations. For instance, the National Health Hotline (16263), which promises round-the-clock medical advice, repeatedly plays the same recorded message asking callers to wait for a doctor. Even after several attempts over consecutive days, people reportedly fail to speak to a physician. Similarly, calls to the Bangladesh Bank hotline (16236) allegedly fail to connect to any operator while money is invariably deducted from the caller’s mobile balance. And the problem is not confined to government institutions, but callers often experience similar hassles while seeking services while calling the hotlines of private institutions too.
Such incidents clearly expose how citizens are being deprived of services while paying for nothing. Such public harassment is quite unacceptable. And the financial losses this flawed system is causing to people is not small as a whole. And the loss of public trust in government services which it is causing is surely massive.
So, the government must realise this and take strong measures in regard to the inefficacies of these hotline numbers of the government and private institutions resulting in public harassment. This really amounts to nothing less than playing a hide-and-seek game with people. The authorities concerned must initiate proper investigations to unearth the real causes behind these flaws in the systems, if technical shortcomings are responsible. However, if negligence or mismanagement is found on the part of the officials, those responsible must be taken to task. It must be ensured that the citizens receive prompt responses and effective solutions through these emergency hotlines.