Blasts, arsons force DMP to intensify surveillance

Following a series of cocktail explosions and setting buses on fire in the capital, police have tightened security at key points, major intersections, flyovers and sensitive areas across the capital.

More than 200 checkpoints have been set up at different points since Saturday morning, with police searching vehicles and stepping up surveillance of motorcycles and other vehicles. Analysts have raised questions about the intelligence capabilities of law enforcement agencies following the serial cocktail blasts and flash procession in important areas of the capital.

Niaz Mehedi, additional deputy commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Media and Public Relations Division, said that checkpoints and picket duties had been strengthened. Mobile, pedestrian and motorcycle patrols had also been increased. 

Detective Branch, Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime unit and Armed Police Battalion have also been deployed to prevent crime and sabotage, the DMP official said.

According to various sources, several incidents of cocktail blasts were reported in Malibagh, Agargaon, Mohakhali, Jatrabari, Babubazar, Moghbazar and areas around Bangladesh Television building from Friday afternoon until night. Police said a rickshaw-puller, Ibadur Rahman, was injured in one of the incidents in Jatrabari.

The same night, an empty bus was set on fire in front of Kafrul Police Station. Police are investigating the incidents and trying to identify those involved.

In Badda, a bus was set on fire around 7:50pm Saturday. Another incident of torching was took place in Mirpur in the evening while another was attempted to set fire in the same area.

According to police, cocktails were exploded and thrown at law enforcers during the procession.

Special Response Battalion (SRB) has also strengthened security measures alongside the police, said a press release. Security has particularly been strengthened in crowded areas, around important installations, key-point installations and major roads, with suspicious individuals and vehicles being searched, it said.

Meanwhile, 515 people were arrested in regular DMP drives across the capital in the last 24 hours, while 47 cases were filed. The arrests were made in operations conducted by different DMP divisions and its intelligence units.