Foolproof security for SAARC summit

DHAKA,Friday (The News Today) - Foolproof security measures will be taken in the capital city of Dhaka ahead of the 13th South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) summit.

Besides, the capital’’s outskirts including Keraniganj, Savar, Siddhirganj and Tongi industrial areas will also come under close surveillance to avoid any untoward incidents as Dhaka hosts the 13th SAARC Summit on November 12-13. Dog squads and choppers by the members of the elite Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) will be used for surveillance to ensure fool proof security during the summit.

With a view to keeping the capital city of Dhaka free from terrorism, the Home Ministry has already directed the law enforcers to conduct block-raid operations at different suspected terrorists hideouts including slums, residential hotels and guest houses in the city.

The decisions came from a high level meeting of the Home Ministry with state Minister for Home Lutfuzzaman Babar in the chair on Wednesday, an official of the Home Ministry said.

The official also pointed out that the Ministry of Home had already prepared a list of suspected criminals including the rising young terrorists and ordered its forces to keep close watch on their movement and their operational activities.

At the same time, police has also been directed to keep close watch on the movement of different listed top terrorists staying at different bordering areas of the neighbouring West Bengal in India, sources said.

It is reported that some of the government prizes announced listed top terrorists including Mollah Masud, Subrata Bain, Joy and Kala Jahangir were now staying in Kolikata, capital city of West Bengal and its nearby districts like Murshidabad, Nadia and Jalpyguri to avoid arrest.

“With a view to prevent any possible attacks on the visiting delegates from any international terrorist groups, the Home Ministry will also seek similar lists of the suspected terrorists of different SAARC countries.

According to the Home ministry sources, the min-istry has already ordered all intelligence agencies to be sure about suspected presence of the leftist Maoists guerillas in the country. The ministry, according to the sources, however, did not rule out any possibility of the Maoists guerilla activities in the country.

Ministry sources said various outlawed terrorists under patronisation of different so-called left leaning Sharbohara parties are active in the country’’s south-western terrorist infested regions, the home ministry sources said. At the same time, security measures at all bordering points in the country will also be tightened.

Special security measures will also be taken for the heads of the governments or heads of the states including Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Pakistan’’s president General Parvez Musharraf. Because of security reason, the visiting delegates this time may not visit the national memorial at Savar, sources indicated. Police, BDR, RAB and ansars will be posted at all sensitive points while the members of the SSF will be in charge of personal security of the delegates.

RAB members will be deployed on both sides of the roads that the delegates will use during the summit. The eight most sensitive points are Zia International Airport, Sheraton Hotel, Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre, Prime Minister’’s office, Bangabhaban, State Guest House Jamuna and late president Ziaur Rahman’’s grave.

Meanwhile, State Minister for Home Lutfuzzaman Babar while talking to the journalists has vowed to maintain the law and order situation during the coming SAARC summit. “With a view to making the SAARC summit a success, unprecedented security measures would be taken in the city and its adjoining districts ,” the state minister added.