May 22, 2013 | 11:34 AM (BD Time)

22 May, 2013 Wednesday

Breaking News:

20,000 law enforcers deployed

Staff Reporter

At least 20,000 law enforcersdrawn  from police, RAB, SWAT andintelligence agencies will be deployed on the streets  of  the capital to fend off any untoward incident during the hartal hours  today and day after.

The BNP  led 18-party opposition alliance has given  two-day countrywide  hartal call afreshto protest the failure of the government to find out missing BNP regionalleader  Elias Ali despite giving  what it said  sufficient time to rescue him.

Special security measures havealso been taken across the country to stop any attempt to create anarchy duringthe hartal period. Deputy Commissioner of Dhaka Mohibul  Haque told reporters yesterday that thedistrict administration will run 10 mobile courts in the capital during thehartal hours to maintain law and order situation, Law enforcers have alreadyintensified surveillance in the student hostels, residential hotels and slumareas. Home Minister Sahara Khatun urged the leaders and activists of  AwamiLeague, sits front organisations and also alliances  to resist the BNP-enforced hartal.

"We all have to take to thestreets  as warriors of BangabandhuSheikh Mujibur Rahman to ward off  theOpposition attempt to torch  vehiclesand kill people during the hartal period," she added.

Mukhlesur Rahman, DirectorGeneral of RAB, told The New Nation that they have enough preparations toensure the security and protect properties of countrymen during the hartalhours. "Around 5,500 RAB men will be deployed across the country to maintainlaw and order," he informed.

"None will be allowed tohamper public security by creating anarchy during the hartal hours," DhakaMetropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Benazir Ahmed told newsmen yesterdayafter holding a meeting on security arrangements ahead of the hartal withpolice high ups at Rajarbagh Police Lines.