Bangladesh yesterday launched a contact tracing app on a trial basis to warn users if they have been near someone who later tested positive for the coronavirus.

Local technology company Shohoz jointly with the ICT Division and the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) jointly developed the app to bring the people of the country together in its fight against the COVID-19.

Smartphone users need to use mobile application Corona Tracer BD, a contact tracing app.

So far, 50 countries have introduced contact tracing app to flatten the curve of the coronavirus pandemic.

State Minister for ICT Zunaid Ahmed Palak introduced the application during a virtual ceremony and requested every smartphone user to download it to stop the spread of the highly contiguous virus.

The app utilises Bluetooth signal to understand whether a user is near another individual who was tested positive in the past and this will help users find out whether they are at risk of COVID-19.

Users can download the app from Google’s Play Store. The app would soon be available on Apple’s App Store.

The app users will get the instant message if they come in close contact with a coronavirus positive patient at a distance of less than one metre, said Maliha M Quadir, founder and managing director of Shohoz.

They would also be alerted if any of the people they came in contact with becomes positive even four days after the meeting, she said.

NM Ziaul Alam, senior secretary of the ICT Division, Prof Abul Kalam Azad, director general of the DGHS, and Meerjady Sabrina Flora, director of the IEDCR, were present during the virtual launch.