Dial 2872 to report 'suicidal Blue Whale game' to BTRC

Telecom regulators BTRC has asked the internet users to dial 2872 to report anything on the online game 'Blue Whale' that allegedly makes the players suicide-prone.

Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission or BTRC provided the phone number in a notice on Wednesday, putting emphasis on raising awareness among the guardians to keep the children away from such games.

In the notice, it said many harmful, addictive and life-taking internet games, links, groups and apps are active on the social media.

On Tuesday, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal asked the BTRC to investigate the game after seeing media reports about a father blaming the game for his daughter's death in Dhaka.

State Minister for ICT Zunaid Ahmed Palak said the authorities were monitoring the issue with caution and trying to block the links that lead to the game.

'The Blue Whale Challenge', known as a 'suicide game', is an online game which reportedly leads the player to die by suicide after completing some tasks at different levels of the game.

An expelled psychology student in Russia claimed to have invented the game. Experts believe copycat groups are using it now.

A number of deaths by suicide triggered by the game were reported in India recently.