Security has been beefed up across the country as the International Crimes Tribunal is set to pronounce its verdict in the case against Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Motiur Rahman Nizami today.
Dhaka Metropolitan Police and Rapid Action Battalion have already taken special security measures and deployed additional forces at key points in the capital to fend off any kind of untoward incident. People’s movement in the tribunal area was also restricted.
Alongside the regular forces, the members of DB police, SWAT teams and APC would be on duty.
Twenty platoons of the BGB were deployed in the capital at 7pm. “They will be on duty until 8am today. If necessary, it will be extended further,” Maj Gen Aziz Ahmed, director general of the BGB, told the Dhaka Tribune.
Meer Rezaul Alam, joint commissioner (crime) of the DMP, told the Dhaka Tribune that special measures had been taken to ensure security of the city people.
ATM Habibur Rahman, director of legal and media wing of RAB, said the elite force was put on alert to avert any kind of unwanted incident.
A press release said around 8,000 RAB personnel would be on duty to tackle violence. Besides the regular force, dog squad and bomb disposal unit would conduct special drives.
Sources say the Jamaat-Shibir supporters have plans to carry out subversive activities following the verdict.
The law enforcers held several meetings and asked all the police stations under the DMP to take special measures to ward off untoward incidents.
Our Chittagong correspondent reported that the local police had taken strict measures ahead of the verdict.
Banaj Kumar Mazumder, additional commissioner (crime and operation) of the CMP, said additional 2,000 policemen were deployed at 80 points of the port city and the highways.
The CMP began drives in Jamaat-Shibir-dominated areas, student messes and hostels from last night.
After the verdict against Jamaat leader Delawar Hossain Sayedee last year, violence flared up in Satkania, Lohagara, Banshkhali and Sitakunda upazilas of the district when several people, including policemen, were killed.
On January 30, Nizami and 13 others were sentenced to death in the sensational 10-truck arms haul cases.
Jamaat plans hartal
Key ally of the BNP, Jamaat has plans to announce a two-day nationwide shutdown or violent demonstration if Nizami is convicted by the tribunal.
Several party leaders told the Dhaka Tribune that the Jamaat central committee had already directed its activists across the country to be prepared for any sort of tough movement.
The instructions are – if Nizami gets death penalty, the party will stage violent demonstration, braving police action; and if it is life term jail, then Jamaay will merely observe processions.
A central committee member said the party had planned to call a hartal for today, but later retreated from the decision, considering “weather and political situation.”
Central Committee member Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher told the Dhaka Tribune: “We have faith in the rule of law and believe that Nizami was not involved in any type of crimes against humanity. Our party activists will not tolerate any wrong judgement against him.’’
