Law enforcing agencies have adopted adequate security measures for the Dhaka South City Corporation and Dhaka North City Corporation elections scheduled for February 1.
Dhaka Metropolitan Police ( DMP) and Rapid Action Battalion ( RAB) are taking separate extra-ordinary security measures so that each voter can cast their own votes for their favorite candidates.
Besides, members of the para-military Border Guard Bangladesh(BGB) have already been deployed in the capital.
Both DMP and RAB will set up several check posts across the city. Their patrol teams will be patrolling the streets. RAB will also use their helicopters for keeping the city under their surveillance from the air.
About the security measures,Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal said, “ There is no vulnerable election centre in Dhaka’s two city corporations.”
He made the statement after visiting the Saraswati Puja mandap at Rajdhani High School at Manik Mia Avenue in the capital on Thursday.
Responding to reporters, the home boss said, “ The law and order in Dhaka is fully under control of the Election Commission. Our law enforcement agencies are working as per its directives.”
Eyewitness said, members BGB have started patrolling Dhaka city.
A total of 65 platoons of BGB men have been deployed in the city to avoid any untoward incident.
They will continue to patrol the city till February 2, a senior BGB officer said.
Two platoons of BGB forces will remain on alert per ward and 10 platoons will remain ready as reserved force.
Election commission sources said, along with BGB, around fifty thousand members of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), police and Ansar will also be deployed across the city soon.
RAB Director General, Benazir Ahmed, while addressing a press briefing at the RAB Media Center in the city said, “ Special forces will be deployed for city polls. We shall set up check posts at each and every entrance of the capital.”
We shall provide highest security measures till announcement of the polls results, he said adding, RAB-led mobile courts will also be patrolling the city.
Striking forces from five RAB battalions will patrol the capital city. For each center, there will be a patrol team.
RAB members will also observe the situation using helicopters, he further said.
He urged all those who came to the capital to participate in election campaigns to leave the capital city.
He also advised not to come to the city during the election time without any emergency purpose, and to carry identity cards.
DMP Commissioner Md Shafiqul Islam said, “ We are very hopeful that we shall be able to the keep up the festive situation in the city polls.”
He also assured to provide security for the voters so that they can return to their homes after casting their votes.
He however, requested all the candidates to remain active so that there are no troubles centering the city polls.
