At least 448 members of Bangladesh Ansar, commonly known as Ansar Bahini, have been deployed at 56 high-risk points of Khulna, Jessore and Jhenaidah to ensure smooth train movement and provide security to the passengers.
120 Ansar members have been deployed at 15 points in Khulna, 184 at 23 points in Jessore and 144 members have been positioned at 18 points in Jhenaidah. These Ansar members have been on extra duty at these places since January 12.
A team of eight Ansar members under a Platoon Commander and an Additional Platoon Commander are patrolling the area in turn. Besides, Government Railway Police (GRP), railways security force and employees are also kept on alert.
Key areas like the Khulna rail station, engine and bogey depot, oil depot and other ares are also under constant surveillance.
The 15 areas that have been identified in Khulna as high-risk are Khulna rail station, Khalishpur junction rail crossing, Mujgunni rail crossing, Daulatpur BGB gate, power station, Daulatpur Bazar crossing, Railgate crossing, Fulbarigate crossing, Shiromoni station, Condom factory, Eastern jute mill gate, Fultola rail sttion, Garakhola railgate, Raripara crossing and Jugnipasha crossing.
In Jessore the 23 area are Rajghat, Taltola, Nowapara, Bhangagate, Chengutia bazar, Prembagh gate,
Prembagh mor, Busondia, Bosundia bus stand, Singthiya, Hatabila, Rupdia bazar, Gopalpur stand, Rajarhat rail crossing, Murali, Shangkarpur, Mujib sarak, Khoradhanga, Dhormotola, Churamonkathi rail crossing, Shantola, Barinagar and Mandartola.
The 18 points identified in Jhenaidah are Suadi rail bridge, Sabdarpur rail station, Shalkepa railgate,
Rajapur railgate, Bidyadharpur railgate, Fulbari railgate, Boro Bamondah railgate, Rangiyar Pota railgate, Chandpara railgate, Sundarpur
railgate, Barobazar rail bridge, Barobazar rail station, Chachra math, Radhunathpur bridge, Barobazar railgate, 27 no bridge Hajipur Mundiya, 25 no bridge Raghunathpur, Sundarpur rail bridge no 37 and Mobarakganj rail station.
Officer-in-Charge of Khulna GRP police station Molla Afzal Hossain said the Ansar members had been deployed as per a directive of the government to avert any untoward incident.
He further added that the decision came in the wake of violence that erupted across the country during the indefinite blockade enforced by the BNP-led 20-party alliance.
The rail communication of the country has been severely disrupted as anarchists have been removing fishplates and damaging the rail tracks during the blockade.
After the general election in 2014, fishplates of rail tracks at four points in Khulna were removed. Earlier in 2013, several attacks were made on the rail tracks injuring a train driver and disrupting rail communications.
