A three-tier security will be in place ahead of Durga Puja and Ashura, while the BGB will also be deployed in Dhaka as part of the beefed-up measures, the DMP chief has said.
The enhanced security for the Hindu festival would come in effect from the first hours of Durga Puja and continue until the immersion of idols are completed, said Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner Asaduzzaman Miah.
Addressing a press conference at DMP media centre yesterday, he said members of Border Guard Bangladesh would be deployed as added security forces in the capital as Durga Puja and Ashura are overlapping this year.
The DMP chief said 6,863 police members would be deployed at 221 puja mandaps, while a further 2,500 police members would be deployed on Friday evening ahead of Ashura.
Plainclothes police would remain deployed across the city and metal detectors would be used to search temple visitors, Asaduzzaman said, adding that two police control rooms would be set up in Dhakeshwary Temple and Ram Krishna Mission Temple in Dhaka.
The morning processions before immersing the Durga idols would have to take place between 10am and 11:30am on Friday as Jummah prayers will start in the afternoon, he said. All idol immersions must be completed before evening as the hours of Ashura would start after sunset, the DMP chief added.
About Ashura processions, he said rallies would be brought out from Mohammadpur, Dhanmondi, Pallabi, Paltan and some other areas of the city.
Earlier, Inspector General of Police AKM Shahidul Haque said they did not have any information regarding any possible militant threat during the puja.
However, sufficient security measures have been taken after concerns were raised by different quarters following the recent murders of two foreigners, he said at a views-exchange meeting.
