Tight security in Dhaka ahead of National Mourning Day

Stringent security measures were yesterday clamped in the capital and elsewhere in Bangladesh with deployment of security personnel on the occasion of 41st death anniversary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the National Mourning Day on August 15.“All the possible security measures have been taken to ensure security in Dhaka and elsewhere,” a spokesman of the Bangladesh Police headquarters told newsmen yesterday.He added: “Earlier, all SPs (superintendents of police) were asked to ensure sharp vigil at different strategic points, where Mourning Day programmes usually takes place within their respective jurisdictions.”The members of law enforcement agencies including police, anti- crime elite forces, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and different intelligence agencies, both in uniform and plainclothes would remain active to prevent any untoward incident on the day.The members of the law enforcement agencies will beef up security in and around the Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at Dhanmondi on the occasion of National Mourning Day on August 15.Earlier on Saturday, Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Asaduzzaman Miah said security personnel will beef up security in and around Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at Dhanmondi on the occasion of National Mourning Day on August 15. “The government has successfully tackled the militant outfits…the law enforcers will remain vigilant and the security measures will be tightened to avert any untoward incident,” he told journalists at Dhanmondi in the capital yesterday. He urged all city residents to extend all necessary support to the members of the law enforcement agencies on the security issue. The DMP commissioner placed a set of directives for ensuring security and traffic management in and around No 32 Dhanmondi area, which will be followed from today. He said mourners will have to wait around Kalabagan playground until the key guests pay their tributes to the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at Dhanmondi starting from 4am today.Asaduzzaman said visitors, without any weapons, inflammable substances and bags, have to enter the museum to be checked by the metallic security archway and leave through the opposite side.As part of security measures, vehicular movement will be restricted from Russel Square and Metro Shopping Mall and no vehicle will be allowed to park between Kalabagan playground and Sobhanbagh mosque on Mirpur road. Apart from the installation of security check posts, Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras will be installed at different strategic points covering the day’s programmes, he added Adequate members of security personnel including plainclothes detectives, Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT), dog squad and bomb disposal team will ensure security.A group of disgruntled military officials assassinated Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and his close family members on August 15 in 1975.