The police headquarters has ordered to strengthen the security of all police installations and weapons and ammunition across the country. A set of instructions has been issued including construction of at least three sentry posts in each police station. If any police station or police establishment is under attack, complete instructions have been sent to all police units about who will have what responsibility among the members and how to respond.
Several responsible officers of the police headquarters said that these instructions have been given to avoid incidents like looting of weapons by police and Ansar members in Bandarban. Additional IGP in charge of operations department of police headquarters. Anwar Hossain told Kalbela that the alarm parade was given in the context of the recent attack by hill terrorists in Bandarban and looting of weapons from police and Ansar members. But it is part of regular activities. Like the fire service drills, the police also conducts alarm parades to ensure the safety of its premises.
An officer of the police headquarters said that this alarm parade is mentioned in the police regulations. There is a map of who will be stationed where to ensure the security of the police station or police station. They will respond quickly to urgent needs. In police stations or other police establishments, the officials are transferred to other places, new members are added. Then the new comer, his/her responsibilities are not updated on time. Lax security has recently been observed at many police establishments. That is why this instruction has been given to strengthen the security system.
Kuki-Chin National Front (KNF), a hill separatist armed group, attacked three branches of two banks in Ruma and Thanchi in Bandarban on April 2 and 3. During the attack on Sonali Bank in Ruma on the first day, armed terrorists looted 14 weapons and 415 rounds from police and Ansar members. After this attack, a joint operation is underway in the hilly areas under the leadership of the army. More than 50 armed terrorists were arrested in the operation, weapons were recovered. However, even after three weeks of the operation, there is no information about the recovery of the looted weapons. About 20 days after the incident, the police issued security instructions.
Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Headquarters has also issued an instruction similar to the one issued by the Police Headquarters to all the units and officers under its purview.
Talking to the senior officials in charge of DMP, it is said that the instructions given by the headquarters on April 23 asked to build at least three sentry posts in each police station. However, the number may be less or more depending on the situation. Care should be taken not to keep excess number of policemen on leave or on other duty. Do not eat food given by outsiders. Keep the armory secure. If someone from outside enters the police station after a certain time at night, they are allowed to enter with checking and caution for the sake of security.
Alarm schemes have been provided for how the policemen will perform their duties in any context. Where the issues have been updated from time to time by the police headquarters.
The OC of a police station of DMP said that the exercise is called an alarm parade, just like the fire service drills to prevent fire accidents. Every police station has been instructed to conduct this alarm parade twice a month.
No specific threats have been given such instructions. This instruction of the police is part of the regular activities said the spokesperson of the DMP Deputy Commissioner Md. Farooq Hossain. He told Kalbela, such instructions are sometimes given to keep everyone on guard. There is no specific threat now. There is no political or any other issue.
DMP Joint Commissioner (Operations) Biplab Kumar Sarkar told Kalbela about the directive, ‘All police activities are determined by PRB. The police have some basic functions, including receiving training, protecting their premises, among others. The police are often unable to perform basic tasks due to their busy schedules, including political unrest. This is a type of drill called an alarm parade. Now there is free time, no political unrest, law and order situation is better than any other time. So we have given this instruction to keep everyone up to date.’
