5-tier security net for Dhaka polls

Army personnel conduct a thorough search at Paltan Maidan in the capital with sniffer dogs yesterday as Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina is to address a grand election rally there today. Hasina will wrap up the party's election campaign for the December 29 polls at Lal Dighi Maidan in Chittagong tomorrow.Photo: STARStaff Correspondent

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) is spreading a five-tier security net in the capital involving 38,928 law enforcers to ensure peaceful holding of the December 29 parliamentary election.

Deployment of the security personnel -- 16, 090 from the DMP and 22,838 ansar members -- began yesterday and would end on Sunday, DMP Commissioner Naim Ahmed said at a press briefing at his office.

Besides, detective police will be deployed as part of beefed up security.

Replying to a question, he said DMP has received no such information that militants and other criminals might attempt to disrupt polling.

The DMP commissioner said there are 1,834 polling centres in the metropolitan area. Of these, 875 have been marked 'important' and the remaining ones are 'general'.

An 11-member police team led by an inspector will be deployed at each important centre and an eight-member police team led by a sub-inspector at each general centre. In addition, 12 ansar personnel will be deployed at each of the polling centres, he said.

Besides, 393 VDP (village defence party) members will be deployed at 393 polling centres in 16 unions under the DMP's jurisdiction.

The DMP chief said 2,500 of the policemen to be deployed were given special training on electoral affairs.

There will be a police patrol team for each 10 polling centres and reserve strike forces at each police station in 'all the eight crime zones', and DMP control room and three sub-control rooms created for polls duty.

To face any untoward situation, DMP has also formed women police teams, bomb disposal unit, and special weapon and tactics teams.

Naim said a medical team with an ambulance would be kept ready in each police station on the election day.

Relying to a question, he said police personnel are already keeping watch on all modes of transport at entry points in the city.

Crime prone areas in the capital, residential hotels and many houses also are under constant police vigil. And police are on alert to tackle any subversive activities, he added.