Police to get tough in upcoming lockdown
There will be checkpoints in DMP areas and each police station will have its own mobile court
Police said they will be strict in enforcing the second weeklong lockdown starting from 14 April to flatten the brutal resurgence in Covid-19 cases and deaths.
Police officials said they will not allow anyone coming out of home except emergencies, and any gathering at recreational spots.
There will be checkpoints in areas under the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP). Each DMP station will have its own mobile court to check the violation of the stay-at-home order. Besides, entry and exit to and from the capital will be controlled strictly.
In the meantime, the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) said it will be monitoring the waterways to stop people roaming around.
The DMP has already charted out its lockdown enforcement plan and all police stations in Dhaka city have been instructed as accordingly.
Shahin Fakir, the Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Bangshal police station, told The Business Standard they have asked the shopping mall and market owners in the area to beef up security measures in the upcoming lockdown.
He said, "We instructed the beat police officers to strictly maintain social distancing and health guidelines. Police will not allow anyone on the streets without an emergency."
Besides, as part of the police's awareness campaign, Shahin Fakir said beat police officers are distributing leaflets among the city dwellers.
Last year, police led the enforcement of the stay-at-home order during the 66-day general holidays. There were police patrols, checkpoints and mobile courts to get the people off the street. Besides, law enforcers in several parts of the country joined hands with the charity groups to feed the marginalised people, and to get the citizens essential items while staying at home.
However, the law enforcers held an olive branch out to people in enforcing the weeklong lockdown until 11 April.
A number of OCs in the DMP said they did not go hard on people as the public and private offices were open in the first lockdown of this year. However, with the offices closed in the second lockdown, they will not allow any violation of the stay-at-home order.
DMP Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC, Media) Iftekhairul Islam, said they will do everything to impose the second lockdown following the government instructions.
In the meantime, police sources said cops will introduce several services such as shopping or buying medicine like the previous year so that people can get the items while staying at home.
Contacted, RAB Assistant Director (Media wing) Imran Hossain told TBS all their battalions will remain in the field to enforce the lockdown.
Imran said the elite battalion of police will also conduct mobile courts to force people to comply with the health guidelines.
