Staff Reporter :The government on Tuesday has increased security to its Cabinet members as police warned about possible terror attacks on them. On Monday night the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner through Short Message Service (SMS warned all members of the Cabinet about possible terror attacks on them.The DMP Commissioner in his SMS said that the police obtained intelligence report that militant groups might attack any minister any time. The ministers have been requested to remain alert. Police is responsible for the security of the cabinet members and their family. On Tuesday several ministers said that they received the text message from the police ‘Source received Intel that militant group may carry out attack on any Minister any time. We have given proper instructions to all concern. Please take care and brief your gunman/protection party,’ quoting SMS sent to the Minister, sources said on Tuesday. Later Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal confirmed text messages sent to the Cabinet members about the threat.On Tuesday talking to journalists several Ministers expressed concern over the alert, saying they will have to be careful. “We will have to remain alert and be careful about the possible terror attack on us. There is no reason to take the matter lightly after the Gulshan attack on July 1,” Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Anisul Haque told journalists at his Secretariat office on Tuesday. However, the Law Minister said that they are careful but not worried over the threat. Meanwhile the Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Rashed Khan Menon admitted that he and his other Cabinet colleagues also got the text messages about the alert. “I received a SMS from DMP Commissioner in this regard on Monday,” he told journalists at his Secretariat office on Tuesday. “No security can stop them (terrorists) if they want to kill us,” replying to a query Menon said.Apart from them, the State Minister for Health and Family Welfare Affairs Zahid Malek on Tuesday said like other Ministers he also received the SMS from the DMP Commissioner. “But there is nothing to fear. We are not worried over the threat. We will continue our regular job,” he told journalists at his Secretariat office in city. Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal said based on intelligence report the Cabinet members and the high officials of the government have been told to remain careful. At the same time their gunmen and house gourds also have been briefed to be carefully. “The alert will be in effect until the next message,” the minister said. Earlier, apprehending more terror attacks like ones at Gulshan and Sholakia, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina asked her all Cabinet members to be more alert and careful. Meanwhile, the government has taken various security measures to foil further terror attacks following reports that militants may try to carry out attacks similar to the Gulshan Café and Sholakia Eidgah attacks.Members of all law enforcement and intelligence agencies are on high alert. Holidays and leave of police personnel have been cancelled.Apart from strengthening security measures, the government has made moves to build social resistance against militant activities.
