Court police get helmets, bulletproof vests

Court police have received 30 helmets and 30 bulletproof vests in the wake of two death-row militants' escape from a crowded court building in Dhaka.

Court police have received 30 helmets and 30 bulletproof vests in the wake of two death-row militants' escape from a crowded court building in Dhaka.

Measures have also been taken to repair old closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras and install new ones on every floor of court buildings, said Md Jashim Uddin, deputy commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s Prosecution wing.

Police will contact the Department of Public Works if the judge allows the installation of CCTV cameras in the session room of the Anti-Terrorism Special Tribunal, according to him. The court will oversee the matter.

The helmets and bulletproof vests were sent to the courtrooms on Monday, said Jashim.

Police also used bar fetters to restrict the movements of 27 suspects and two militants accused in the BDR Pilkhana mutiny case while escorting them to court on Wednesday, the chief of DMP's prosecution wing added.

Meanwhile, Court Inspector Abdul Hakim said police personnel will use the safety equipment from now on while producing convicts or suspects, including militants, in high-profile cases before courts.

The move came after Moinul Hasan Shamim alias Samir and Abu Siddique Sohel alias Shakib were snatched from police custody by their associates while they were being taken back to a lockup after testifying in court on Nov 20.

Shamim and Sohel, both leaders of the outlawed militant outfit Ansar-al-Islam, were sentenced to death over their involvement in the killings of writer-blogger Avijit Roy and publisher Faysal Arefin Dipan.

Witnesses said the militants sprayed some chemicals in the eyes of the policemen escorting the convicts before escaping.

Police later formed two committees to investigate the incident while announcing a Tk 2 million reward for information leading to the capture of the runaway convicts. A red alert was also issued across the country.

Inspector Julhas Uddin Akand of DMP's prosecution division filed a case against 20 militants over the incident. The court later granted law enforcers 10 days to grill 10 militants in custody.

Biplob Bijoy Talukder, a joint commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, said law enforcers across the country are on high alert as security risks persist while the two escaped death-row militants remain at large.

Photographs of the escaped militants were sent to police and border guard troopers across the country Bilpob said at a media briefing in Dhaka on Wednesday. “Law enforcement is trying its best to arrest them.”

Discussions are taking place with higher authorities over the use of bar fetters to restrain 'dangerous criminals' from escaping from custody, he said.

“Everyone is trying to reach an agreement and avoid the risks of any further incidents,” Biplob added.