By Syed Altefat Hossain 

DHAKA, Dec 09, 2023 (BSS) - The National helpline '333' has launched a Smart Conventional Bot named 'SmartSathi' aimed at helping the citizens get government services in a simplified way with a minimal human workforce, avoiding unnecessary prank calls.

"Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina opened the SmartSathi of the 333 helpline on October 18, 2023 on a trial basis to provide information related to government services through voice, non-voice and AI Conversational Bot," a2i Project Director Md Mamunur Rashid Bhuiyan told BSS. 

With a mission to simplify government services and ensure better services for Bangladeshi citizens, he said, 'SmartSathi' combines cutting-edge technology with a wealth of resources to act as a comprehensive and accessible service platform.

Bhuiyan said during the COVID-19 pandemic, the '333 helpline' played a crucial role in providing health and relief related services across the country, proving its need, efficiency and benefits of the platform during emergency periods.

The '333 helpline' handles 34,000 calls daily with a team of 60 dedicated agents while the service providers face an odd of 'prank calls' and unnecessary inquiries sometimes, he said, adding that this smart AI Conversational Bot has been launched to eliminate such problem with addressing the unnecessary inquires, creating capacity to handle unlimited calls simultaneously.

Developed by a2i in April 2018 aimed at connecting citizens directly to field-level officials, the National Information Service brought together over 55,000 websites to create a centralized platform, said Bhuiyan. 

The '333' helpline is currently providing information in a wide range, including social issue resolution, specialist doctor consultations, government land services, reporting service-related complaints, cyber security assistance and legal support for women and children. 

SmartSathi, however, will initially offer information on five services through Interactive Voice Response (IVR), Conventional Bot and chat round the clock, the a2i project director added.

The 'smart 333' is now offering information related to passport, national identification (NID), birth registration, NID and Smart driving license services, and contact information of government officials, he said. 

Anyone can avail the service by dialing '333' and pressing 'zero' or via the non-voice platforms 'Telegram App' and 'Imo App', Bhuiyan said.
 
"Our main objective is to help the people get government services easily and make a bridge between the government officials and the citizens," he said, adding that the Artificial Intelligence (AI) supported 'Smart 333' has been launched to simplify the people's lives and ensure better services for them. 

"As we are committed to improving quality of our services, we are considering expanding the services of the 'SmartSathi' to offer all sorts of information through IVR, Conventional Bot and chat from the National Portal and myGov's 1,898 services across 35 ministries soon," the a2i project director added.

According to a2i sources, the 'Smart 333' would start providing information regarding legal assistance to Bangladeshi expatriates, rescuing women workers in danger abroad, bringing dead bodies at government expense, repatriation of workers jailed abroad, obtaining amnesty for expatriate convicts, lodging complaint over national consumer rights, stipends for students, import of crop seeds, getting agricultural instrument assistance cards and registration for e-commerce organizations soon.