Police ask holidaymakers not to carry gold jewelry
Police have urged the Eid holidaymakers not to carry gold jewelry while leaving Dhaka for village homes and suggested that the ornaments can be entrusted with the care of close relatives staying in the capital.
In failure to find a trustworthy relative, they can keep the ornaments at the nearest police station, said Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) commissioner Md Shafiqul Islam while speaking at a crime review meeting on Monday.
However, experts said such advice by the police actually uncovered their incompetence in ensuring public safety.
In a conversation with Prothom Alo over phone on Monday night, former cabinet secretary Ali Imam Majumder said, “The police’s main responsibility and duty is to ensure the safety of people. Such instructions reveal the incompetence of the police.”
Around 12 million people are expected to leave the capital in the last four days ahead of the forthcoming Eid-ul-Fitr. It means that 3 million people will leave the city each day, according to a study being carried out by the Accident Research Institute of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET).
Bangladesh witnessed a limited number of Eid trips in the last two years due to the restrictions inflicted by the Covid-19 pandemic.
But the scenario is in stark contrast this year. The number of Eid holidaymakers is expected to double this time as there are no restrictions on public and vehicular movement thanks to the improved pandemic situation.
Regarding the security risks at residences during Eid vacation, DMP commissioner Shafiqul Islam said the policemen have to work in coordination with security guards to prevent any crime during the Eid holidays.
The commissioner instructed the police stations to detain the listed criminals, out of fear that the crimes like theft, hijacking, and currency counterfeiting may rise ahead of Eid.
According to a list of criminals prepared around two months back, as many as 500 hijackers are currently active at 575 spots in 50 police stations in Dhaka metropolis. Apart from these, there are 85 members of ‘Ogyan Party’, ‘Malam Party’, and ‘Tana Party’.
The DMP commissioner said, “The crimes cannot be suppressed through mere surveillance; these should be prevented by arresting the criminals. The DMP officials should adopt utmost caution while discharging duties in order to prevent the crimes.”
The incident of snatching usually increases in the capital ahead of Eid and the scenario remains unchanged this time too.
An organized gang snatched the mobile phone of Kabir Hossain, 18, from the Azimpur area after stabbing him on Wednesday.
In a separate incident on 27 March, a dentist – Ahmed Mahi alias Bulbul – was stabbed to death by snatchers near Kazipara bus stoppage in the capital in early morning.
DMP commissioner Md Shafiqul Islam instructed the fellow policemen to gear up patrolling across the city and to form special team, if necessary, to arrest the criminals.
He also noted that the activities of Malam Party and Ogyan Party increase with the crowd at the malls.