Street watch goes up for safe Eid shopping

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Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) and Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) have stepped up street patrols and intelligence activities to ensure security for Eid shoppers in the capital.

As part of the security measures, DMP has already put in place a three-tier security system starting from the first day of Ramadan, which is to be in effect through the post Eid week, sources said.

Rab sources said the elite battalion has also deployed a four-tier security measure in Dhaka metropolitan area and throughout the country as well.

According to sources, to maintain law and order, Rab has deployed over 2,000 of its personnel in the metropolitan area and another 5,000 across the country, while DMP has deployed 4,000 of its personnel including 25 intelligence teams and 171 Orange Teams which have been patrolling the city streets.

DMP Commissioner Naim Ahmed said, “Apart from the regular and visible forces, we have deployed plainclothes officials.”

“We have emphasised on intelligence activities as criminals are gathering their own intelligence.”

According to DMP sources the three-tier security measure is made up of motorbike patrols by 171 Orange Teams, 21 teams of plainclothes officials of the Detective Branch (DB), and 14 teams of Special Women Police Contingent (SWPC).

Sources said each Orange Team is comprised of four police riding two motorbikes, while an intelligence team is comprised of 10 personnel, and an SWPC team comprises six personnel.

SWPC chief Assistant Commissioner Sadira Khatun told The Daily Star, “Our teams have been working mainly at shopping malls and other markets, already arresting a number of criminals.”

The SWPC chief, however, said some of the market authorities have not been cooperating with them.

Rab media wing chief Commander SMAK Azad told The Daily Star, “We’ve taken a four-tier security measure including patrolling the streets on motorbikes and pick-up trucks, and patrols by the Striking Reserved Force and plainclothes forces.”

He said, “In addition, Rab has also taken measures to check irregularities in sales of bus, launch and train tickets.”

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