The Bangladesh Cricket Board on Wednesday beefed up the security measures at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur following a couple of terror attacks in recent weeks with England cricket team due in September. All sorts of free movements and the entry to the stadium were restricted and only one of the gate remained open amid heavy security and detail checking.
It was seen that irrespective of the identity of the individual one had to cross the barrier of several checkpoints to enter into the stadium through gate number two, the only access point now.
Anyone who wanted to enter the stadium, whether it was BCB director, player or a journalist, he had to face the detail checking of body, bag and car by the security personnel.
Even the players who reside in the BCB Academy, situated in the stadium compound, had to go through the procedures.
The movements of the journalists were also restricted inside the BCB office.
A lounge was set in the ground floor of the office where the journalists must wait in order to collect their news.
The journalists were allowed inside the office only with the consideration of meeting with any certain person in the office.
BCB director Khaled Mahmud and national skipper Mashrafee bin Murtaza were seen entering the stadium after completing the security procedures, but the cricketers acknowledged it.
‘It’s a good arrangement,’ said Mashrafee.
All-rounder Alauddin Babu was also content after his baggages were checked.
‘England series is up next. The security system is beefed up. I am happy with it,’ said Alauddin.
Mohammad Ali, a security guard co-coordinator of BCB, told reporters that the arrangement was present always but sometimes it was not maintained.
‘We beefed up the security to avoid any unwanted situation in the stadium area. We had this arrangement before, but we did not follow it sometimes,’ said the official.
‘From today [Wednesday], we will be strict with the security measurement.
‘We will provide this sort of security from now on in order to provide security for all- players, BCB officials and journalists.’
-With New Age input
