Staff Reporter :
Unprecedented security measures are being taken in and around the celebration venues in the capital and elsewhere in the country on the eve of traditional Pahela Baishakh festival to be held on April 14.
Like previous years, this year, too, millions of people from all walks of life — irrespective of religion and age — wearing traditional clothes are expected to throng the venues to celebrate Pahela Baishakh, the first day of Bangla New Year 1421.
In line with anti-terrorist security setup, members of security forces will take control of all the main gathering places for the festival across the country to avoid any untoward situation, officials said.
Especially, Ramna Batamul, Dhaka University
campus, Rabindra Sarobar and Shaheed Suhrawardy Udyan in Dhaka, the DC Hill in Chittagong and all main celebration venues in other city headquarters will be brought under foolproof security blanket, they said.
A meeting of top officials of the country’s security forces was held recently chaired by Inspector General of Police Hassan Mahmud Kahndaker for taking decision about the security measures.
Chiefs of all security agencies, including Special Branch, Armed Police Battalion, RAB, Dhaka Metropolitan Police, Criminal Investigation Department and other units were present at the meeting.
As per decision of the meeting, modern security apparatus, including archways, metal detectors, scanners and bomb defusing robots will be installed on the main venues, including Ramna Batamul and Dhaka University campus.
Besides, the security agencies will set up control room, observation posts and check posts to monitor overall security measures round-the-clock while dozens of CCTV will also be installed to bring the venues under the eyesight. The helicopter of RAB will roam around the sky to get a Birdseye view about the situation
As a part of security measures, restriction on vehicular movement will also be imposed on some roads in the capital on the day, and check posts will be set up in strategic points to search bags and suspicious people as preventive measures, sources added.
The Islamist militant outfits, including banned JMB and HuJI, terming celebrations of Bangla New Year anti-Islamic had carried out bomb attacks on the Ramna Batamul gathering in 2004, leaving at least 12 people killed and score others injured.
Keeping the issue in mind, the law-enforcers, including police, Rapid Action Battalion [RAB] and members of intelligence agencies are working in a coordinated way to ensure security in the festival venues, officials said, adding that around 45,000 law-enforcers will be deployed across the country on the occasion.
Meanwhile, state minister for Home Asaduzzaman Khan has said adequate security measures would be taken for the celebration of Pahela Baishakh so that people from all walks of life could take part in the festivities peacefully.
“We are ready to face any kind of situation so that measures could be taken instantly if necessary. However, I hope people would enjoy Pahela Baishakh like the previous years, and the intelligence agencies would stay alert to foil any untoward incident,” he said.
