Law enforcement agencies have beefed up their security measures across the country ahead of the Jamaat-e-Islami enforced nationwide three days hartal protesting the death sentence to its party chief Matiur Rahman Nizami for committing crimes against humanity during the Liberation War of 1971.
“We shall not allow any one to carry out any destructive activities in name of hartal and necessary orders regarding it have already given to the law enforcers so that Jamaat-Shibir activists can not be able to harm any public properties,” Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, State Minister for Home Affairs told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday.
Sources said, a huge number of law enforcement officials along with water canons and APC have already deployed in sensitive areas in capital and elsewhere in the country. They also installed some security cameras to keep vigilance on the move of Jamaat-Shibir men.
Besides the detectives will also work with some sophisticated cameras to track down the trouble makers easily during any violence.
When asked, IGP Hassan Mahmood Khandker acknowledged the move, telling they have already adopted especial security plans ahead of the hartal.
In reply to a query whether police had any intelligence information about subversive activities, he said they were prepared for all sorts of security threats.
On the other hand, members of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) will remain alerted to prevent any kind of unwanted situations. Major General Aziz Ahmed, director general of BGB, said the BGB members who had been deployed ahead of the Nizami verdict would continue their duty until the hartal ends.
“However, BGB men have been instructed to increase patrolling across the country, especially in some specific areas during the hartal hours,” the BGB boss added.
Security was also lifted up in the port city, Chittagong. Abdul Jalil Mondal, Commissioner of Chittagong Metropolitan Police said they have some information that Jamaat-Shibir men might try to create anarchy and sabotage during the hartals but due to our extreme surveillance and preventive measures, they will not be able to make their conspiracy a success.
RAB members were also kept alerted. Major Rummon Mahmud, deputy director of RAB Media and Legal Wing said, in line with all other law enforcement agencies, RAB has taken some special preventive measures ahead of the hartal.
Besides, special surveillance was ensured in the Jamaat dominating districts. Chowdhury Monjurul Kabir, Police Super of Sathkira district, which is considered as a stronghold of the party, said they would not allow a single Jamaat-Shibir man to create any kind of violence there.
Feni SP Md Rezaul Haque said they deployed necessary policemen at the key points to bring any untoward situation under control promptly. Jamaat yesterday called the countrywide hartal for Thursday, Sunday and Monday.
