The seventh day’s blockade enforced by the BNP-led 20-party alliance was seen largely uneventful in the port city as life of city dwellers was normal during daytime.
But the activities of townspeople decreased after dusk in fear of sudden violence. Many city people said they did not wanted to stay outside after sunset as miscreants targeted common people after dusk.
The fear of sudden violence causes decrease of vehicles movement on the roads in the evening, compounding troubles for commuters.
Working people, especially ready-made garment workers, street hawkers and transport workers, were the worst victims of the blockade as they had to face difficulties while going to their destinations.
Most of the roadside shops and markets were closed down in the evening fearing vandalism.
Long distance and freight vehicles were plied by police escort, but many of those are not plied fearing sabotage.
Meanwhile, Chittagong Metropolitan Police (CMP) authorities yesterday formed 16 five-member special patrol teams in 16 police stations to resist violent activities in the respective police station areas.
The authorities also ordered to gear up four teams of Detective Branch (DB) to find out the persons who are involved in sabotage in the city, said CMP sources.
The measures were taken in a special meeting at CMP headquarters yesterday around 11am with CMP Commissioner Abdul Jalil Mandal in the chair.
“According to the instructions from CMP headquarters, we sat in the meeting where it is ordered to increase police vigilance strongly to ensure best public security,” said CMP Commissioner while talking the Dhaka Tribune.
At the meeting all the officials were instructed to show zero-tolerance against any kind of violence, he added.
“Every officer-in-charge (OC) of each police station will lead respective police station’s patrol team which has to find out the people who are behind violent activities.
CMP Additional Commissioner (crime and operation) Banaz Kumar Majumder said the DB’s four teams were ordered to gear up their activities to find out the miscreants specially bombers.