Orange alert at ZIA on Nov 11-14

A Rab member looks through binoculars to scan the high-rises near Dhaka Sheraton Hotel yesterday as part of the stepped up security for the 13th Saarc Summit. PHOTO: STAR

Zia International Airport (ZIA) will remain under 'orange' security alert, one notch down the top, for four days from Friday when leaders of the South Asian countries participating in the 13th Saarc Summit will be flying in and out of the city.

Incoming and outgoing flight schedules will remain mostly unchanged excepting for 45 minutes when a Saarc leader arrives and 30 minutes when one departs to make the security foolproof, officials concerned said.

As part of a massive security build-up, some 40,000 security men drawn from police, Rapid Action Battalion (Rab), army, Bangladesh Rifles, Armed Police Battalion, Ansar, Special Security Force (SSF), President's Guard Regiment (PGR) and intelligence agencies along with plainclothesmen are keeping a sharp vigilance on the city hosting the summit.

Advance security teams from the Saarc countries are also now in Dhaka to look after the security of their respective heads of state and government. Sources said they have expressed satisfaction over the security arrangements made by the Bangladesh authorities for the November 12-13 summit of the South Asian Association for regional Cooperation.

The authorities have declared several city streets and two parks off-limits to public. Sources said security at the country's border has also been stepped up.

"For the upcoming Saarc Summit, it has been decided by the authorities that from 00:01 hours on November 11 to 24:00 hours on November 14, 2005 the security alert state at Zia International Airport will be kept at orange," a Civil Aviation Authority, Bangladesh press release read yesterday.

Officials said the country has never seen the highest security alert, 'red'.

"The normal flights will be kept waiting from 15 minutes before the landing of flights bringing in the VVIPs and for 30 minutes afterwards when they will receive guard of honour," ZIA Chief Security Officer Azad Zahirul Islam told The Daily Star yesterday.

In case of departure of Saarc dignitaries, the regular incoming and outgoing flights will remain stopped for 15 minutes before and 15 minutes after their planes take off, he added.

ZIA, which is already under an intense security watch by members of different law enforcement, security and intelligence agencies under supervision of the SSF, will come under a foolproof security blanket with army personnel forming a net around the takeoff and landing zone.

The SSF early Monday took over the charge of security of 10 important venues including ZIA, where red carpet will be rolled out to receive dignitaries from India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan and the Maldives.

Yesterday, members of PGR, Rab, police and Ansar and plainclothesmen were seen guarding Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre (BCFCC), the main summit venue, where rehearsals of different programmes were going on. They did not let any commoner enter the venue or any vehicle to near it. Even top government officials had to pass through a security archway set up at the main gate and their vehicles were thoroughly checked.

Security personnel including those from the army were seen to rehearse motorcades from Dhaka Sheraton Hotel to the BCFCC. An army dog squad was guarding Sheraton, where the summit delegates will stay. A watch helicopter was also seen hovering over the hotel, which has put on a festive decoration and lighting to welcome its dignified guests.

Security men made Ramna Park off-limits to public from Monday and Zia Udyan from 4:00pm yesterday. Both the parks are under heavy guard.

Besides searching pedestrians, commuters and vehicles on different city roads, especially those adjacent to the summit venues, security forces are also patrolling the river-ways around the city and its sky. Members of Rab, coastguard, navy, police and other agencies are screening the traffic in the Buriganga, Shitalakkhya, Turag and Balu rivers.

Troopers of Rab and the Special Branch of police equipped with binoculars and heavy sophisticated weapons were seen patrolling the city sky in eight helicopters, especially over the BCFCC and other summit venues. They will continue the vigilance until the end of the grand regional event.

Highly placed sources said the security teams from the Saarc member states are coordinating with their Bangladesh counterpart and that the Indian team has expressed its full satisfaction at the security arrangements made for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.