The authorities have taken extensive security measures for the capital city to ensure peaceful celebrations of New Year tonight.
A contingent of 7,000 additional policemen will be deployed in and around the city to fend off any untoward incidents, Dhaka Metropolitan Police commissioner Benazir Ahmed said.
Addressing a briefing at city police headquarters at Ramna on Thursday, he said that a total of 10,000 law enforcers, including 3,000 Rapid Action Battalion personnel, will be deployed to ensure security of city dwellers during the New Year celebrations.’
As a pre-caution, he said, all bars in the city would be closed after 7pm on Friday to avert any untoward incidents.
‘As programmes would be held at the Teachers-Students Centre in Dhaka University and in some posh areas such as Gulshan, Banani, Baridhara and Dhanmondi, we have taken comprehensive security measures to avert any untoward situation in those spots,’ said the city police chief.
He also said the police would take stern action against anybody breaching laws. ‘Some drunk revelers might cause disturbance to city people by coming out on the roads in cars and driving recklessly. We will take stern action against the drinkers who would drive recklessly. We will arrest the drinkers and seize their cars if we find anyone driving in a drunken state,’ Benajir Ahmed said.
He urged the parents of children who don’t have any driving license to refrain them from allowing them to drive in the city streets, recalling that reckless driving had killed four people during last year’s New Year celebrations.
The Detective Branch and Special Weapons and Tactics Team personnel would be deployed on the Dhaka University campus and Gulshan areas to ensure security in those areas, the DMP commissioner said.
He also urged the owners of different bars in the city to run their business following the rules.
Meanwhile, the Dhaka Metropolitan Police has declared all the entrance points to Dhaka University except Shahbagh crossing, Old High Court crossing, Nilkhet crossing and Dhaka Medical emergency gate off-limits to all vehicles from 10pm on December 31, 2010 to 6am on January 1, 2011.
Besides, the authorities have also imposed restrictions on vehicular movement on all roads except Tejgaon Industrial Area-Phonix road crossing, Amtala crossing, Kakoli crossing, DOHS Baridhara-United Hospital Crossing and Notun Bazar crossing to enter the city’s Gulshan, Banani and Baridhara areas for that period.
Police also imposed a ban on entering Dhaka University campus after 9pm tonight.
Besides, the DMP will set up 120 check posts at different spots in the city.
