1 crore 20 lakh children and adolescents are at risk of internet

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Like all over the world, schools and colleges in Bangladesh have been declared closed from March 16 to March 31. About 25 million children and adolescents (play to class 10) are under house arrest in the country. As the government conducts online-based classes in schools and colleges, children between the ages of 4 and 14 are forced to use the internet. At the same time, the Bangladesh Mobile Phone Subscribers Association has raised questions about the security of the internet being handed over to tender-hearted children and teenagers even if they are kept at home.

Mohiuddin Ahmed, president of the organization, urged parents to be vigilant in this regard, saying the medium is not yet suitable for children and adolescents to use. For this reason, on May 8, the United Nations, the International Telecommunication Union (IEU), warned young children against using the Internet. They say that about 1.5 billion schools and colleges in the world are closed. They are using the internet to study, play sports, watch video games. By doing so, they are going to fall into cyber risk. Due to the lack of internet and devices in Bangladesh, even if 50 per cent are out of the internet, the adverse effects of the internet on about 12 million children will still fall on them. At the same time, the issue of excessive use of internet addiction cannot be ruled out.

"We are not aware of any initiative taken by the Ministry of Telecommunications to ensure the safety of children in using the Internet and no policy has been formulated in this regard," he added. The IEU is already going to make some recommendations. We all know what we want to know about the internet as well as unwanted things. As a result, tender-hearted children know what they need to know at an early age before developing their talents. At the same time, they could put themselves and their families at cyber risk.