Police on high alert

The government has taken various initiatives to thwart further terror attacks following reports that militants may try to carry out attacks similar to the Gulshan café and Sholakia Eidgah attacks.

Members of all law enforcement and intelligence agencies are on high alert. Holidays and leave of police personnel have been cancelled.

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Apart from strengthening security measures, the government has made moves to build social resistance against militant activities.

"Getting intelligence reports of possible terrorist attacks, we have made all-out preparations to thwart any such attack. We have cancelled holidays and leave of all police personnel and put the law enforcers and members of intelligence agencies on high alert," Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal told The Daily Star yesterday.

The country is still reeling from shock of two deadly attacks at Holey Artisan Bakery in the capital's Gulshan on July 1 and Sholakia Eidgah in Kishoreganj on July 7.

Speaking in a video conference on July 13, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina feared more terror attacks. The government got information from local and international agencies that terrorists were planning to launch more attacks, she said.

At a cabinet meeting yesterday, the PM once again asked her colleagues to remain alert to possible terror attacks, meeting sources said.

According to government sources, a neighbouring country had alerted the Bangladesh authorities to possible terror attacks before the Gulshan café siege.

A high-up at the Police Headquarters said though they had received information about terror attacks, they couldn't narrow down the possible targets of the militants.

Seeking anonymity, a top official at the home ministry said, “This time, that country has again alerted Bangladesh to further terror attacks. But it didn't mention the type and time of such possible attacks.”

SECURITY MEASURES

Law enforcers have launched raids in the capital and other places that include remote char areas in the northern region used by militants as training grounds.

Besides, the number of police checkpoints and patrol teams has been increased across the country.

Police have enhanced security for key installations, foreign embassies, residences of foreign diplomats, important personalities and foreigners and establishments where foreigners work, according to Dhaka Metropolitan Police.

Asking not to be named, a top DMP official said security has been increased for VVIPs, VIPs and judges as well as their residences.

With a large number of its members already engaged in providing security, a DMP official said it cannot meet requests from many private establishments for giving them police protection due to manpower shortage.

The DMP asked them to take security measures on their own, said the official.

The measures include installing CCTV cameras at strategic points of establishments, conducting search by metal detectors, raising the height of boundary walls and putting up barbed wire fences, maintaining register books for visitors, added the official.

The DMP advised them to have adequate private security guards and seek deployment of armed Ansar members if necessary, added the official.

Talking to reporters at his ministry yesterday, the home minister said intelligence agencies had informed them of possible terror attacks before the Gulshan café siege and the Sholakia attack, and they had taken measures accordingly.

Police reached the spot in Gulshan in three minutes of the attack because they were ready, he said.

Kamal also claimed they could save hundreds of lives in Sholakia as police were alert and set up checkpoints.

He said the Gulshan attackers came to Holey Artisan Bakery on foot in one or two groups and carried arms in backpacks as seen in CCTV footage.

"We are sitting with religious leaders, private university authorities and students, and forming anti-militancy committees across the country. We are also trying to create public awareness about militant activities."

Earlier at the cabinet meeting, Hasina asked the ministers to monitor the formation of anti-militancy committees at district level, and build resistance against militancy.

The PM also stressed the need for making people conscious about militant activities, said a minister who attended the meeting.