Steps have been taken to bolster security measures in the port city of Chittagong ahead of Eid-ul-Azha and Durga Puja.
Police and other law enforcement agencies are on alert to maintain law and order situation during the religious occasions. Chittagong Metropolitan Police (CMP) set up check points at various points of the city yesterday.
This year Eid-ul-Azha will be celebrated on October 6, just two days after the Bijoya Dashami (the end of Sharodiyo Durga Puja) on October 4.
The four zones under CMP - North, South, West and Bandar - have started search operations at the entry points of the city as well as at 30 points throughout the city, said CMP Detective Branch Additional Deputy Commissioner Engineer Mohammad Hasan Chowdhury.
Besides, four striking and 15 mobile forces will stay vigilant during the festival season. CMP will also set up 12 temporary camps in 12 cattle markets within and outskirt of the city so that cattle traders and buyers do not face any harassment.
In a meeting with Puja Udjapon Parishad of the port city on Thursday, CMP Commissioner Abdul Jalil Mandal said additional police personnel would be deployed in 223 different Puja venues in the city.
“We hope there would be no untoward incident during Durga Puja.” said CMP Additional Commissioner (Crime and Operation) Banaz Kumar Majumder, adding that police would be extremely alert to prevent any sort of unseemly situation.
RAB - 7 has also increased its patrolling throughout the city and upazilas of Chittagong. Sources said about 500 RAB personnel will be engaged to provide security in different Puja mandaps and cattle markets. Besides, a good number of plain clothed law enforcers have also been deployed in the city.
Superintendent of Police AKM Hafiz Akhter of Chittagong district said, they would keep 16 police stations of 14 upazilas of the district in alert to face any kind of untoward incident.