Staff Reporter :
Inspector General of Police (IGP) Dr Mohammad Javed Patwary on Wednesday said nothing will happen in the country following sufficient security measures ahead of the verdict in the graft case against BNP chief Khaleda Zia on Thursday.
Police have taken all preparations to keep the situation normal. But as per eye witness accounts the real situation in the ground is different. The number of transports has become thin in city streets and people were found waiting in long queues at different places in the city streets for a ride to their destinations.
Inter-district bus services were off the road. So also uncertainty gripped passengers at city railway stations and launch terminal.
The IGP made the observation at a press briefing at Police Headquarters on Wednesday afternoon.
The Police chief repeatedly claimed the law and order situation will have remain under control.
He also said that the law enforcers have been instructed to intensify arrest drives, raid and checking at different city points and vehicles as part of tight security.
The IGP said that the law enforcers are also ready to face any emergency across the country, if needed.
In a query, he said that police arrested about 59 people a day during last week based on specific causes while BNP alleged that the aw enforcers arrested more than 350 people in everyday during the period.
He said police headquarters (PHQ) has asked district police superintendents and unit chiefs to bring opposition leaders and activists under surveillance with previous records of involvement in subversive acts.
Also Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Asaduzzaman Miah on Wednesday said that they were ready to keep the law and order across the capital under control ahead of the verdict.
“I have instructed all units of DMP to remain alert on the day,” Asaduzzaman said while talking to reporters at DMP headquarters.
Plain clothes police, detective police, City SB and quick response teams will be on alert, said the DMP Commissioner adding that ban has been imposed on holding processions from 4:00 am to until further notice centering the verdict on Thursday.
Besides, Chittagong Metropolitan Police (CMP) on Wednesday imposed restriction on vehicular movement and carrying sharp weapons, explosives, flammable materials in the port city on Thursday.
In the meantime, members of the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) have already been deployed across the country including the capital.
Some 20 platoons of BGB were deployed in the capital. BGB have also been deployed in different districts including Chittagong, Rajshahi, Sirajganj, Bogra, Narayanganj, Noakhali, Lakhmipur and Chandpur.
Md Moniruzzaman, additional deputy inspector general of intelligence and special affairs at PHQ, said they instructed all police units to take stern actions if anyone try to damage public properties and put people’s lives at risk.
Khandaker Enayet Ullah, general secretary of the National Road Transport Owners Association, on Tuesday said, 15,000-20,000 transport workers would remain standby at different city terminals tomorrow to resist attack on transport.
They have also decided to operate buses even if anyone called for hartal or blockade. Buses would be parked in specific areas under police protection, Enayet added.
On the other hand, law enforcers have taken measures to prevent BNP supporters from entering the capital so that they could not gather on the streets centring on today’s expected verdict, detective sources said.
As part of the move, police have already set up additional checkpoints at the eight entry points to the capital.
Most of the 35,000-strong forces of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police have been deployed on the streets. Normally, some 8,000 police deployed every day, they added.
“We will be on the hard line. No one will be allowed to gather or bring out processions on the street,” according to them.
Earlier, the ruling Awami League has also announced that its leaders and activists will be on the streets to prevent BNP men from carrying out any attack.
An owner of a private bus service on Dhaka-Satkhira route said police instructed them not to rent out any bus for reserve passengers and take steps so that fewer buses ply on Wednesday night.
An official of Shyamoli Paribahan, one of the largest private bus operators, said they would not operate any bus on Thursday, although they did not receive any such instructions.
Ibrahim Khan, deputy commissioner (Lalbagh division) of DMP, said vehicles entering the capital would have to go through security checks so that no one could enter the city with anything that cause destruction.
Residential hotels in the capital have been asked to collect National ID cards and detail information of boarders every day and submit those to detectives.
“We had given a similar instruction about one and a half years ago. Hoteliers are now following it and we have kept them under surveillance,” said Ibrahim.
Over the last few days, law enforcers increased surveillance at Sadarghat Launch Terminal and Kamalapur Railway Station so that no one can carry illegal firearms or explosives.
Similar measures have been taken at other important places, bus and launch terminals and rail stations, by setting up CCTV cameras, another police sources said.
