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21 percent, 1.75 lakh calls were for police, fire and ambulance services, according to the national help desk database.

Women were provided with different services upon one lakh calls, the data added.

Tabarak Ullah, Additional Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of police of the Emergency Helpline service, told The Daily Star yesterday that they have taken different initiatives to improve the emergency service, like increasing the number of help desks.

“Presently, we have the capacity to receive around 120 calls simultaneously. Once the help desk number is increased, we would be able to receive 550 calls at a time,” he said.

“We are also planning to launch a smartphone application for the service. There will be an SOS button in the app, and if any person presses the button, we will receive their location and a 10-second video automatically in our stations,” said Tabarak.

He further said that they also have plans to have integration with social media, including Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp. Once the integration is completed, anyone would be able to connect with the help desk through social media, said the additional DIG.

A part of it, installation of disperse system and a “Mobile Data Terminal (MDT)” are also in progress.

The disperse systems will consist of separate telephone sets in 321 police stations of eight metropolitan and eight range police units, so that helpline staff are directly able to contact with the duty officer of any police station anytime.

Presently, the telephone number of duty officers are often found busy and it takes time to seek help. The MDT will be installed in all 1,300 police patrol cars to ensure quicker service, said Tabarak.

After installation of the disperse and MDT mechanisms in police stations and patrol cars, it will be installed at fire service stations across the country, said officials.