Updated for SID 2019:Bangladesh Safer Internet Day Committee -
URL: http://www.isoc.org.bd Organisational email address: isoc.bd.dhaka@gmail.comAbout our SID activities
Around 32 per cent children in Bangladesh, aged between 10 and 17, face cyberbullying, violence and harassment online, according to a survey.
Online Safety of Children in Bangladesh, a study commissioned by Unicef Bangladesh, revealed the information on the Safer Internet Day yesterday.
The United Nations Children Fund also urged the authorities concerned to take concerted actions to tackle and prevent violence against children and young people online.
The organisation surveyed 1,281 children from different schools, colleges and madrasa and found that 25 per cent of them accessed the digital world as early as 11.
Besides, 63 per cent of the children use their own room as the primary internet usage point, indicating prevalence of "bedroom culture" among them that allows less supervised internet use.
The study also revealed that 70 per cent of the boys and 44 per cent of the girls surveyed admitted accepting unknown people on their "online friends" list, risking their safety.
Some 10 per cent of the children reportedly faced religiously provocative content online, the survey read.
A press briefing was held at Janata Software Park in the capital's Karwan Bazar area. In the briefing, Mustafa Jabbar, Post, Telecommunication and Information Technology Minister, said the government was working on the cyber security issue to ensure safe digitalisation. He also urged the authorities to incorporate the digital safety matter into the regular education curriculum.
Echoing the minister's comment, TIM Nurul Kabir, an independent analyst of digital services, requested Unicef to formulate a global standard education curriculum for young people and children.
Edouard Beigbeder, Unicef Bangladesh representative, said, "We've heard from children and young people from Bangladesh and around the world and what they are saying is clear: The internet has become a kindness desert."
"That's why this Safer Internet Day, Unicef is following young people's lead and inviting everyone to be kind online, and calling for greater action to make the Internet a safer place for everyone, especially children," he added.
Apart from publishing the survey result in Bangladesh, Unicef ran a poll worldwide on the issue where more than 1 million people responded over five weeks from more than 160 countries.
What we are doing to support the SID 2019 slogan of "Together for a better internet"…
We are organising seminars, awareness programmes and training for safe and better use of the internet.
About the organisation
The Internet Society Bangladesh provides the local community with leadership on issues concerning the internet in and around public policy, education, awareness and standards and technology. With an aim to further advance the activities in Bangladesh, Internet Society Bangladesh will initiate to charter "Bangladesh Safer Internet Centre" for creating a safer and better internet for children and young people across the globe.
The multistakeholder initiative of "Bangladesh Safer Internet Centre" will deliver a wide range of activities to promote the safe and responsible use of technology:
- Coordinates Safer Internet Day in Bangladesh.
- Founded and operates an e-safety helpline for professionals working with children in Bangladesh.
- Develops new educational resources for children, parents and teachers to meet emerging trends in the fast-changing online environment.
- Delivers education sessions for children, parents, teachers and the wider children's workforce.
- Trains young people to be peer educators and role models in their school communities.
- Shapes policy at school, industry and government level, both in the Bangladesh and internationally, and facilitates youth panels to give young people a voice on these issues.
