Police on high alert

A Border Guard Bangladesh man patrolling inside Chittagong port yesterday. In an effort to prevent smuggling of drugs, weapons and explosives, BGB and customs detectives are conducting raids at various sheds of the port.

The government has taken various initiatives to thwart further terror attacks following reports that militants may try to carry out attacks similar to the Gulshan café and Sholakia Eidgah attacks.

Members of all law enforcement and intelligence agencies are on high alert. Holidays and leave of police personnel have been cancelled.

Apart from strengthening security measures, the government has made moves to build social resistance against militant activities.

“Getting intelligence reports of possible terrorist attacks, we have made all-out preparations to thwart any such attack. We have cancelled holidays and leave of all police personnel and put the law enforcers and members of intelligence agencies on high alert,” Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal told The Daily Star yesterday.

The country is still reeling from the shocks of two deadly attacks at Holey Artisan Bakery in the capital’s Gulshan on July 1 and Sholakia Eidgah in Kishoreganj on July 7.

Speaking in a video conference on July 13, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina apprehended more terror attacks. The government received information from local and international agencies that terrorists were planning to launch more attacks, she said.

At a cabinet meeting yesterday, the PM once again asked her colleagues to remain alert to possible terror attacks, meeting sources said.

Government sources said a neighbouring country had alerted the Bangladesh authorities to possible terror attacks before the Gulshan café siege.

A high-up at the Police Headquarters said though they had received information about terror attacks, they couldn’t narrow down the possible targets of the militants.

Seeking anonymity, a top official at the home ministry said, “This time, the country has again alerted Bangladesh to further terror attacks. But it didn’t mention the type and time of such possible attacks.”

A dog is checking barrels stored in the port.

SECURITY MEASURES

Law enforcers have already launched raids in the capital and other places that include remote char areas in the northern region used by militants as training grounds.

Besides, the number of police checkpoints and patrol teams has been increased across the country.

Police have enhanced security for key installations, foreign embassies, residences of foreign diplomats, important personalities and foreigners and establishments where foreigners work, according to Dhaka Metropolitan Police.

Asking not to be named, a top DMP official said security has been increased for VVIPs, VIPs and judges as well as their residences.

With a large number of its members already engaged in providing security, a DMP official said it cannot fulfil requests from many private establishments for giving them police protection due to manpower shortage.

The DMP asked them to take necessary security measures on their own, said the official.

The measures include installing CCTV cameras at strategic points of establishments, conducting search by metal detectors, raising the height of boundary walls and putting up barbed wire fences, maintaining register books for visitors, added the official.

Source: The Daily Star