The government has asked the law enforcement agencies to enhance
security for ensuring uninterrupted train services in Dhaka and other
districts.
Police, Rapid Action Battalion and Border Guard Bangladesh across the
country were already alerted against any subversive acts including
removal of railway lines and arson attacks on trains during the
opposition’s countrywide 48-hour blockade programme, state minister for
home Shamsul Haque told reporters at the secretariat.
‘RAB, BGB and police have been directed to remain alert against
subversive acts and enhance security throughout the country so that the
train services are not disrupted,’ the junior minister said.
The Border Guard Bangladesh personnel were deployed in several districts
including Dhaka, Sylhet and Bogra on Monday evening as violence erupted
immediately after the declaration of the schedule for 10th
parliamentary election, which was rejected by the main opposition
Bangladesh Nationalist Party-led 18-party alliance.
Intercity road and rail communications across the country collapsed on
Tuesday as the pro-BNP pickets blocked highways and disjoined fishplates
of rail lines in many places disrupting train services on major routes
including Dhaka-Sylhet, Dhaka-Chittagong and Dhaka-Rajshahi.
At least five people were killed during clashes on the first day of the nationwide blockade that began on Tuesday morning.
Replying to a question, the state minister said anyone found responsible
for attacks on railways, trains or other public establishments would be
brought to book, no matter they were senior leaders of any political
party.
Asked whether military troops would be deployed to maintain order at the moment, Shamsul Haque
said the paramilitary force BGB that operates under the home ministry was already deployed in some places.
‘It is not the responsibility of the home ministry to deploy army. Now
the Election Commission will decide when to deploy army for maintaining
law and order in the run up to the elections,’ the state minister said,
adding
that the commission had hinted about the army deployment for a peaceful election.
He called upon the people in general to cooperate with the lawmen by
providing information in advance if they had any about criminal
activities.
The BNP-led 18-party alliance on Monday evening announced the
rail-road-waterway blockade programme rejecting the election schedule
that fixed January 5, 2014 as the polling day. (source)