Dhaka Metropolitan Police's (DMP) Detective Branch (DB) chief Additional Police Commissioner (ADC) Harunor Rashid on Sunday said that a case will be filed under the Explosives Act against anyone who lights firecrackers or sky lantern despite the ban.
Issuing a stern warning against the use of firecrackers or sky lanterns to celebrate the English New Year, Harunor Rashid said that the DMP commissioner has provided explicit instructions regarding the prohibition of such activities.
The DB chief was speaking to journalists at his office in the capital on Sunday.
Harunor Rashid said there are only 33,000 members in the DMP to protect two and a half million citizens in the capital.
“Despite repeated warnings issued by the authorities, if people do not follow the rules, I see no other option but to take action against them,” he added.
The DB chief said: “Legal action will be taken if we receive information. Instructions have been given to the police station in this regard.”
In recent years, the once joyous English New Year celebration has been overshadowed by a gloom affair due to numerous hazardous incidents arising from the use of fireworks and sky lanterns on the New Year’s Eve.
Numerous incidents, including fire outbreaks and fatalities, have been reported in over 200 locations across the country.
Last year, even the power transmission line of the metro rail was damaged during such incidents.