Five-tier security measures for RCC polls

Five-tier security measures have been taken for making tomorrow's Rajshahi City Corporation (RCC) polls free, fair, participatory, peaceful and acceptable to all as around 4,500 law enforcers will work for maintaining law and order.

 Security officials said around 3,500 members of the police, 400 personnel of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), 200 of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and 1,860 of Ansar will discharge election duties.

 Meanwhile, BGB and RAB personnel have already started patrolling the city areas to ward off any tense situation since yesterday.

 BGB sources said they have already deployed 10 platoons of BGB to avert any untoward incident and maintain peace in the metropolis.

The BGB members as the striking force have started patrolling different city areas to ensure overall security.

Lt Col Riaz Shahrier, Commanding Officer of RAB-5, said more than 400 RAB members have started performing duties since yesterday and they will continue their duties till June 22.

Anisur Rahman, Commissioner of Rajshahi Metropolitan Police (RMP), said more than 3,514 policemen will remain on election duty for the next three days after polls, adding that Ansar will also be deployed.
 
He said all the policemen were kept on high alert so none can violate the election code of conduct. Foolproof security has been ensured in all the polling centres.

"We have taken all sorts of security measures to make the election proper and successful," asserted Rahman.

He said additional security measures will be arranged for the risky centres.

Meanwhile, restriction has been imposed on the staying of outsiders and carrying firearms including the licensed ones and traffic movement during the election.

Possessing and carrying of all sorts of firearms has been banned from June 20 to June 23 in the city corporation area. However, the restriction will not be applicable to law enforcers and other institutional security men.

Referring to vehicular movement, RMP Commissioner Rahman said plying of taxicabs, microbuses, jeeps, pickup vans, cars, buses, trucks, tempo, baby-taxi, auto-rickshaws, easy-bike and all other mechanized vehicles will be restricted from July 20 midnight to June 22 midnight.

 Besides, plying on motorbikes will remain suspended from June 20 at midnight till the morning of June 22, he continued.
 
However, vehicles can be used by officers and employees engaged in election duties and other law enforcement agencies and ambulances and vehicles engaged in emergency and utility services will remain outside of the purview of the restriction.