The volume of rumours targeting Durga Puja has dropped sharply this year, thanks to tighter surveillance, said Director General of the NTMC Major General Abdul Qayyum Molla.
Speaking at a press briefing at the National Telecommunication Monitoring Centre (NTMC) headquarters in Tejgaon on Tuesday, DG Maj Gen Abdul Qayyum Molla said the agency is using the “Sharodiya Surakkha” app to monitor incidents in real time and prevent unrest.
“A vested quarter is trying to destabilise the country, whether from within or abroad. Every rumour is being fact-checked,” the NTMC DG said.
“We are working around the clock so members of the Sanatan community can celebrate their festival in peace”, he added.
DG Quayyum confirmed that several individuals linked to reported incidents have already been detained.
“If a rumour emerges, our people on the ground can fact-check within a minute. That is why mischief-makers have failed this year,” he further added.
Praising the country’s tradition of interfaith solidarity, the NTMC DG noted that Muslims have guarded mandaps alongside Hindu devotees.
"This is a unique example in the world. We believe in living together in peace,” he said.
He added that if the government requires a similar system for the next national election, NTMC will be ready to provide it.
According to NTMC, a total of 132 incidents have been reported through the app so far. These include idol vandalism, obstruction of devotees and rumours on social media. Once logged, each report is instantly related to local police and relevant agencies for immediate response.
The app, developed by NTMC’s own team, is being used by around 84,000 personnel nationwide. More than 2,00,000 Ansar members have been deployed to secure 31,576 puja mandaps, of whom 80,000 are directly connected to the system.
About 2,500 responders from various security agencies are integrated into the platform, while 1,000 officials monitor operations from the upazila to the central level.
To support the initiative, NTMC has set up a “Sharodiya Surakkha” Coordination Cell for technical assistance and a rumour prevention cell to verify content collected through the app and social media.
A total of 32-member social media monitoring team is working round the clock to debunk false information, including attempts to spread unrest using old photos and videos.