River police to ensure safety on waterways during Eid

The river police, a specialised unit of Bangladesh Police, has taken special security measures to ensure the safety of homebound people on the waterways for the upcoming holy days Eid-ul-Fitr, reports UNB.

River police will conduct special surveillance on the movement of vessels to ensure safety on the waterways as many people will travel to places of interest in the country to celebrate Eid. River police will perform duty at all naval wharfs, naval terminals.

A discussion meeting on law and order and River traffic management on the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr was held Sunday at its headquarters in the city with Additional IG Shafiqul Islam in the chair.

In his speech, AIG Shafiqul Islam said that human life is more valuable than time. Members of the River police have to give care for ensuring that no vessel operates at high speed with more passengers than allowed.

He expressed hope that an accident-free and safe Eid journey would be possible if everyone, including public and private organizations related to boats and waterways, service-seeking people and naval police, worked together.

Besides, he gave some directions, including refraining from transporting extra passengers in launches, refraining from transporting passengers in small and defective launches, keeping provision of life jackets, buoys, etc. in proportion to the number of passengers in launches and sailing after knowing the weather forecast.

Shafiqul Islam also asked river police to stop movement of sand-bearing bulkheads and speed boats after sunset for a total of 11 days, including the Eid day.

He also gave order to increase special vigilance to stop any harassment including extortion, theft, prevention of setting fishing nets on shipping lanes and no operation of any boat without valid documents.

The meeting discussed various issues including supervision of fare collection, stopping of picking up or disembarking passengers from any other small boats in the river except the terminal, adequate fire fighting arrangements in all boats.

Representatives of government and private organizations related to ships and waterways and River police officers were present in the meeting.

It is noted that the River Police has taken special security measures from April 17 to 27 to make the journey of domestic people using waterways easier and safer during Eid.

In case of any problem on the river route, the naval police will take necessary action if the river police is informed through its control room number 01320169598 or national emergency service 999.