Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) citizen app “Shobar Dhaka” is gaining popularity day by day for its exclusive features.
According to Google’s play store data, more than 1000 people have installed this application in their android devices within 1 month of its launching.
Earlier, the Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) launched this smartphone application on January 10 this year in an effort to ensure its accountability to city dwellers.
Shobar Dhaka is a citizen engagement management platform through which DNCC citizens can easily avail services provided by the corporation in the areas covered by Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC).
Citizens of Dhaka North City Corporation can download this app on their Android mobile devices.
Through this application, citizens are able to submit issues like road, mosquito, street light, garbage, waterlogging, public toilet, drainage and illegal structure directly to the concerned officials, employees and councilors of DNCC.
Kamrul Islam, a resident from Gulshan told Bangladesh Post that, “the user interface of the app is quite user friendly and nice. If I turn on the app, I get the option to report the problem on the home page. There are solution counters. It will also be known whether the problem specified by the user has been resolved or not.”
Another city dweller Mahbuba Sumaiya from Lalmatia area told Bangladesh Post that a great feature of the app is that if a user reports a problem, information on the status of the problem, on whether it has been resolved will be available.
“How many problems a user has reported, whether they have been solved, how many are in process, all this information we can find from the history menu,” Sumaiya added.
However, there are some key features found in the application noticed in Google’s play store. These are:
1. Citizens will be able to submit their issues with real-time GPS location.
2. The Emergency Services section includes the option to call the National Emergency Helpline- 999, will be able to use a special feature for women, "Emergency Alert" and emergency numbers of government services.
3. Location and directions to the nearest hospital, pharmacy, police station, bus stop, fire brigade, public toilet, STS, etc.
4. The app has a scroller for important government announcements, breaking news or various DNCC updates for citizens.
5. The app also has citizen notification and disaster alert notification.
6. Information regarding ward councilors and departmental heads of Dhaka North City Corporation.
7. Address with the map of DNCC offices.
8. Emergency information, including important DNCC forms
9. Through the "Ajker Dhaka" feature, citizens can find the update of ongoing exhibitions, training, various social events, etc. in Dhaka.
Besides, all the information of City Corporation can be found in the DNCC option in the app. It has all the information from the Mayor’s to the chief executive, departmental head and councilors.
Many different forms of DNCC such as birth registration, death registration, trade license, transfer of holding name etc. can also be downloaded from the app.
In addition, the address of the city corporation office can be found in the app.
Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) Mayor Atiqul Islam told Bangladesh Post, ‘This app will create a connection between the citizen and the city corporation. Citizens will be able to report their problems using this app. The city corporation will respond within 72 hours. We think this app will strengthen the North City Corporation's sense of accountability and responsibility."
