AMN/ WEB DESK
The annual exodus from Dhaka during Eid was reflected in the number of SIM cards moving out of Dhaka over the last 4 days between April 27-30. Posts and Telecommunications Minister Mustafa Jabbar said in a Facebook post that over 43 lakh Mobile SIM card users left Dhaka between April 29-30. Another 30 lakh mobile SIM card users left Dhaka between 27-28 April indicating the huge number of people leaving Dhaka to celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr with their family members and relatives at their ancestral villages and towns.
However, this year, despite usual heavy rush at the ferry terminals, bus stands and railway stations, reports of heavy gridlock and tailbacks were comparatively less compared to last year.
Meanwhile, Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) has deployed 500 teams of police personnel in Dhaka to prevent cases of theft and hijacking in the relatively empty capital city during the Eid-ul-Fitr holidays. Additional 2500 policemen will be deployed in the city at night, said DMP Commissioner Md. Shafiqul Islam on Sunday.
After a gap of two years, Eid congregations are going to be allowed in the mosque this year. The DMP said 1468 congregations will be held in Dhaka during Eid-ul-Fitr this year. A four tier security arrangement has been made at the National Eidgah ground in Dhaka to ensure a fool-proof security arrangement during the congregation.
The elite law enforcement agency Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) has also stepped up surveillance across the country to ensure overall security during the upcoming Eid-ul-Fitr, reports the official news agency BSS. It has deployed Bomb Disposal and Dog squad, set up mobile patrol unit and check posts. Commando teams and helicopter unit have also been kept on readiness to deal with any sabotage and attack, said RAB Director General Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamun.