Dhaka: People welcomed the New Year 2011 with jubilations and fresh hopes amid heightened security.
As the clock struck 12 midnight past Friday, hundreds of people especially the young people came out to their homes and welcomed the English new year dancing and singing on the city streets amid tightened security.As soon as the clock struck, several hundreds of crackers exploded at different parts in the city flocking the new years pressing horns of their vehicles on the city roads. The revellers arranged parties in clubs, hotels and at home in posh areas. They sent text messages to their friends and family and exchanged greetings.
Various organisations in Baridhara, Gulshan, Banani, Dhanmondi and Dhaka University areas arranged programmes to welcome the New Year.
The police heightened security in Dhaka on the occasion of New Year’s celebrations with the deployment of about 9,000 law enforcers. The lawmen kept vigil on the diplomatic enclave and posh areas such as Gulshan, Banani, Baridhara, Dhanmondi, Uttara and the Dhaka University campus.
The lawmen closed all the entrances of Dhaka University, excepting the gates at Shahbagh, Doel Chattar, Dhaka Medical College Hospital emergency crossing and Nilkhet crossing after 9:00pm Friday.
The lawmen also closed all entrances excepting Phoenix crossing in Tejgaon Industrial Area, Amtoli crossing, Kakoli crossing, DOHS Baridhara-United Hospital crossing and Natun Bazar crossing to enter Gulshan, Baridhara and Banani areas after 9:00pm Friday.
Check-posts were set up at the entrances to Dhaka University and Gulshan, Banani and Baridhara areas and everyone was searched before being allowed to enter those areas.
‘Our personnel searched vehicles and frisked people at check points set up in different places in the city,’ said Md Masudur Rahman, additional deputy commissioner and chief of media and community service wing of Dhaka Metropolitan Police.
The president, Zillur Rahman, the prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, and the leader of the opposition in parliament, Khaleda Zia, greeted the people on New Year’s Eve.
