Special security for puja mandaps, immersion places: DMP Commissioner

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Md Mainul Hassan today (8 October) said special security measures have been taken at all 253 puja mandaps and immersion places under its jurisdiction to hold the Durga Puja in a peaceful and festive manner.

"Each of the Puja Mandap has been brought under special security arrangements," he said after inspecting the overall security arrangements at Dhakeshwari Temple in Dhaka.

He said they have also planned special security arrangements for all 15 places where the goddess Durga will be immersed.

Replying to a query, he said, "There are no security threats around Durga Puja this time. We don't see any risk."

Durga Puja, the largest festival of the Hindu Community, will be held at 253 puja mandaps in the Dhaka Metropolitan area starting tomorrow (9 October).

Of those, the Dhaka South City Corporation has 131 pavilions, while the Dhaka North City Corporation has 122 mandaps.

The DMP commissioner said police would be stationed in each of the puja mandaps.

Apart from these, thana police would conduct patrol and check posts surrounding the Puja mandaps under their jurisdictions, he said.

The DMP chief also said each of the mandaps have been brought under high-powered CCTV coverage, while there will be checkpoints at each mandap, along with archways and metal detectors for thorough screenings.

Volunteers, police in plain clothes and Ansar would also be deployed in and around the mandaps, he said.

He continued that measures have also been taken to ensure an uninterrupted power supply at puja mandaps alongside fire-distinguishing arrangements.

At the same time, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) would continue their regular patrol and other security inspections surrounding the puja mandaps and temples, he said.

The DMP Commissioner said necessary traffic management would be in place in the DMP areas to ensure smooth traffic movement during the Durga Puja.

"We have asked the authorities concerned to ensure special traffic management in the old city as the roads there are narrow," he said.

Mainul said, the Durga Puja will end on Sunday (October 13) through immersion of the goddess Durga and 15 places have been fixed in the DMP areas for the immersion this year.

"We would take special security arrangements for the immersion rallies," he said.

The DMP Commissioner asked all to dial the National Emergency Number 999 in any need.

He asked all concerned to end all the work centered on the immersion of the Durga Puja by 7 in the evening.

The DMP chief requested all not to use firecrackers, potka (little local bombs) and high sound system during the immersion.

Asked about the measures to arrest the fugitives involved in the attacks on the student-people movement, he called upon all to help arrest the fugitives.

Replying to another question, the police commissioner said a legal process had been taken in the killings of 44 policemen during the movement.

When asked about measures against the DMP personnel who fled after the political changeover, he said, "Cases have been filed against many of them. We are trying to detain them."