The High Court (HC) yesterday directed the government to block for six months the Internet links providing "Blue Whale Challenge",  blamed for triggering suicide among youths playing the game across the world. The HC also directed all mobile phone operators to stop all special night-time Internet packages on a discounted rate from 12:01am to 6:00am for six months. The HC bench said the special night-time packages were encouraging people to search and eventually play destructive games like the Blue Whale Challenge. It also asked the BTRC, telecom and ICT ministry to form a special committee with skilled people to monitor victims and those affected. It said the committee should identify victims and people affected as well as arrange for their counselling so that they refrain from playing the dangerous game.

 In response to a writ petition, the HC bench, comprising Justice Moyeenul Islam Chowdhury and Justice JBM Hassan, came up with the order.

 It also asked the government to investigate whether Opurba Bardhan Swarna, a Class VIII student, had committed suicide as a consequence of the Blue Whale Challenge game.

 The court directed the government to investigate whether any person had attempted to commit suicide playing the game. It also directed the government to submit the investigation report before the court.

 Swarna’s father and two other Supreme Court lawyers—Barrister Mohammed Kawser and Advocate Nur Alam Siddique—filed the petition seeking HC directive on the matter.

 A twisted game that makes the participants kill themselves, Blue Whale Challenge, also known as the Blue Whale Games, is reportedly circulating on social media platforms. The target audience of this game are mostly within the age range of 12–22 years, as recent news reports have shown.

 When one joins the game, he or she is given “assignments” by an “administrator” or “curator”, which ranges from waking up at odd hours to self-harming, eventually ending with the participant committing suicide.

 Since it originated in Russia in 2013, the game has led at least 130 children and teenagers to commit suicide in Russia alone, with many more suicides reported in Asia, North America, Europe and South America.