Foolproof security at Ekushey Boi Mela: DMP

Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner Shafiqul Islam today said police are set to ensure foolproof security measures at Ekushey Book Fair -- taking possible risk from militant groups into consideration.

"Understandably militants might be worked up after the Avijit murder case verdict…Their top leader, Major (sacked) Zia is still a fugitive. So, we are not completely eliminating security risks," he said, after visiting the fair premises at Suhrawardy Udyan.  

Photo: Collected

In February last year, a Dhaka tribunal awarded five members of banned militant group Ansar al Islam to death and another to life in jail for killing blogger-writer Avijit Roy during book fair in 2015.

The DMP chief hoped that nothing untoward would take place as the activities of militant groups are now almost at zero level.

Shafiqul said police would not allow anyone without facemasks inside the fair premises and penalise those running stalls without Covid-19 vaccine cards.