Time Zila Desk:
Law enforcers have beefed up checking at Dhaka’s entry points at Aminbazar, Ashulia, Gazipur and Narayanganj ahead of the grand rallies of Awami League and BNP tomorrow.
Police set up checkpoints at the two entry points of the capital at 8:00am yesterday, said police sources.
Meanwhile, Rab has also set up checkpoints in the Jahangirnagar University area on the Dhaka-Aricha highway.
While visiting the checkpoint in Aminbazar this morning, Our Savar correspondent found police and a number of plainclothesmen with walkie-talkies stopping various Dhaka-bound vehicles and interrogating the passengers.
And in some cases, police were searching their luggage.
Police personnel were heard asking passengers about their destinations, points of origin and their occupations. They were also seen randomly checking national identity cards and mobile phones of people entering Dhaka.
Shahidul Islam, Dhaka district additional superintendent of Police (Savar Circle), told The Daily Star that as there are two rallies of two political parties in Dhaka tomorrow, the police checkpoints were set up to ensure that no one can enter the capital to commit any sabotage or create chaos.
The checkpoint operation will continue till tomorrow, he said, adding that no one has been arrested so far.
in Narayanganj, police set up a checkpost in the Tarabo area next to Sultana Kamal Bridge, an entry point to the capital.
Between 11:00am to 5:00pm, police were seen stopping vehicles including passenger buses, three-wheelers, and motorcycles heading to the capital, our correspondent witnessed from the spot.
In Gazipur, police were searching bus and CNG-run auto-rickshaw passengers as well as pedestrians on the Dhaka-Mymensingh Highway.
Mostafizur Rahman, officer-in-charge of Tongi East Police Station, said they have set up checkpoints at three entry points to Dhaka — Baribandh, Sluicegate and Shalna — on the highway for security purposes.
However, police did not set up any checkpoint at the main entry point of Abdullahpur where police were searching bus passengers after stopping vehicles, reports our Gazipur correspondent from the spot.
Sub-Inspector Mizan said searches are being conducted on the road for the sake of security.
Alamgir Hossain, deputy commissioner (traffic south) of Gazipur Metropolitan Police, said all measures have been taken to control law and order and prevent vandalism.
Police have arrested 76 people from Kapasia, Tongi (east) and Joydepur areas.
However, BNP’s Gazipur district President Fazlul Haque Milon claimed that more than 100 party men were arrested from the district.
Police Commissioner of Gazipur Mahbub Rahman said the arrest and search are being made for public safety. No innocent people are being harassed.
Seven BNP men arrested in previous cases
Golam Mostofa, Savar thana unit BNP general secretary, alleged that police started search operations at the houses of BNP leaders and activists in different areas of Savar and Ashulia and arrested them centring tomorrow’s rally.
Denying BNP such claims, police said they arrested seven BNP men from Savar and Ashulia in connection with different cases filed in the past. No drive was conducted ahead of the BNP rally in the capital, they said.
Dipok Chandra Saha, officer-in-charge of Savar Model Police Station, told the Daily Star that a total of five BNP men were arrested by his team in previous cases.
SM Kamruzzaman, OC of Ashulia Police Station, said they arrested two BNP men, including a Jubo Dal leader, in cases filed against them previously.
