BGB deployed in Chittagong

Border Guard Bangladesh has been called out to help local administration maintain law and order in Chittagong.

BGB troopers were out patrolling different areas of the port city since 11am on Thursday, said Deputy Commissioner Masud-ul Hasan of Chittagong Metropolitan Police (CMP).

The Metropolitan police sought deployment of six platoons of BGB to maintain law and order, he said.

CMP imposed an indefinite ban on all meetings and rallies in the city from 6am on Thursday, following a similar ban by Dhaka police earlier in the week.

CMP Commissioner Md Shafiqul Islam said the ban was clamped after BNP called for rallies from Oct 24 - 27 at the Laldighi ground and Awami League wanted to organise rallies from Oct 24 -26 at the same venue.

“We ban all rallies, meetings, processions, human chains and sit-in demonstrations for an indefinite period for the safety of the residents and to maintain law and order," he said.

Chittagong City Awami League President ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury on Sunday called for a rally on Oct 25 at the Laldighi ground.

Several hours later, Chittagong City BNP leader Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury claimed that they had got permission to hold a rally on the same day at the same venue.

Meanwhile, Md Shamim Hossain, Assistant Superintendent of Police (Sadar) of Chittagong district, said they had requested for deployment of 200 BGB personnel in the district.
He said the border guards would continue their confidence-building patrols into Friday.