The app HELP (Harassment Elimination Literacy Programme) has been launched to curb violence against women in public transport in the capital.

By using the app, a female can file complaints of harassment in public transport immediately, which will be considered a First Information Report (FIR), said Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner SM Sazzat Ali as the chief guest at the inaugural ceremony of HELP in the capital on Saturday.

The Broadcast Journalist Centre (BJC) organised the programme.

The DMP commissioner said any violence against women and children is painful, but victims and their guardians quite often refrain from complaining to the police for different reasons. Domestic workers are the most neglected and victims of sexual harassment, most of which remain unreported.

Financed by the European Union, the BJC has taken the initiative as a pilot project for buses plying the Mohammadpur-Sayedabad route. A QR code will be set in the buses, enabling victims to file a complaint and take assistance. In future, the service will be extended throughout the country.

A complaint filed by a victim will be sent to volunteers and local police stations. There is a feature in the app called “Alert” for sharing victims’ real-time location for quick support, according to a press release.  Apart from that, reports will be stored for future legal action. A victim can file complaints anonymously. In future, the app will incorporate the national emergency service 999. BJC Chairman Rezwanul Haq presided over the programme. Bangladesh Mahila Parishad President Dr Fauzia Moslem spoke as a special guest.            

FIR

As per the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), an FIR is a formal document initiated upon the occurrence of a cognisable offence, such as theft, assault, robbery or murder, for which the police can arrest the accused. An FIR is a legal document and serves as the foundation for a case. The police are legally obligated to investigate the reported crime based on an FIR.

Consequence of false FIR

Giving false information regarding FIR is punishable under section 182 or 211 of the Penal Code. The punishment can range from six months to seven years of imprisonment. A fine can also be imposed for filing a false FIR.

In reply to whether innocent people will be victims in an FIR, DMP Deputy Commissioner Talebur Rahman told the Daily Sun that after getting the complaint through the HELP, they will cross-examine it and the complainant must come to the police to turn the FIR into a case.