Special security measures have been taken ahead of Eid-ul-Azha and Durga Puja in the capital and elsewhere in the country.
This year, the Eid-ul Azha will be celebrated on October 6 or 7 depending on sighting of the moon. Besides, the Durga Puja will begin in the country’s over 28,000 mandaps, including 200 in Dhaka, from October 1.
The security measures would be tightened during the festivals following an intelligence report apprehending possible ‘sabotage’ activities of some militant groups, including banned Jamaat-ul Mujahedin Bangladesh [JMB], sources said.
In this backdrop, the Inspector General [IG] of Police Hasan Mahmood Khandoker chaired two separate inter-departmental meetings of the law enforcing agencies, for Eid-ul Azha and Durga Puja, at the police headquarters on Saturday morning.
The meetings were also attended by chiefs of different police units, including highway, railway, river, tourist and industrial, commissioners of different metropolitan police, including Dhaka Metropolitan Police [DMP], DIGs of six ranges and senior police officers concerned including RAB.
On the occasions [Eid-ul-Azha and Durga Puja]– both uniformed and plainclothes security personnel will be deployed at all puja mandaps and cattle markets to maintain law and order, officials said on Saturday.
“Police, Detective Branch, Rapid Action Battalion and other units of law enforcement agencies will patrol the cattle markets and Puja mandaps to ensure law and order,” IGP said.
He said, “This year Eid-ul Azha and Durga Puja are going to be celebrated almost in same time. So, I urge the concerned officials to remain high alert so that none can create law and order situation at that time, and people can celebrate their festivals in a peaceful manner.”
Sources at the police headquarters said that the meetings discussed elaborately the overall law and order, security and safety of passengers during their journey by trains, buses and launches during the festivals.
Apart from taking special security measures to control extortion, mugging and other organized crimes, the meetings also decided to take all measures against intoxicating drugs by strengthening drive against the narcotics items.
Traffic control and management and curbing of the flow of fake currency in the cattle markets were also discussed in the meeting.
As per decision, the control rooms will remain open from September 24 to October 9/10 at the police headquarters and all the police units, including district levels, to coordinate the movement of security officials.
Besides, the monitoring and coordination cells regarding Durga Puja will remain open at the police headquarters, DMP, RAB, Fire Service and Dhakeswari National Temple from September 25 till October 4.
Sources said the police chief also ordered the senior police officers to stop plying of slow vehicles like Nasiman, Kariman and Bhatbhati on the highways in order to reduce traffic jam and accidents on the highways.
Meanwhile, selecting about 150 places as ‘sensitive,’ the policemen will start patrolling from today around the banks, financial institutions, VIP areas and posh shopping malls in the city.
Besides, the DMP authorities have sent requests to all shopping malls and other important places to keep the close circuit television cameras along with audio system operating.
All the officers-in-charge [OCs] of the DMP police stations have been asked to take special measures to check burglaries, theft, robbery, mugging and other crimes during the Eid and Puja vacation.
About 20,000 members of law enforcing agencies will be deployed to ensure maximum security around the Eidgahs including the National Eidgah where the police would set-up instant check-post whenever needed, according to sources.
