Police fully prepared to tackle tomorrow's hartal called by AL: DMP Commissioner

Dhaka, 17 Feb : Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Sheikh Md Sajjat Ali on Monday assured the city-dwellers not to be panicked for tomorrow’s (Tuesday) hartal called by the Awami League, saying that police is ready to tackle it in every way.

Speaking to the media after the inauguration of the newly renovated office of the Deputy Commissioner (DC- Tejgaon Division) on Monday afternoon, Sajjat Ali urged Dhaka residents not to be alarmed, saying, “There will be no impact from the strike. You do not need to worry.”

About preparations of DMP for the strike, the commissioner said, “All necessary preparations have been made. Additional police forces are on the field deployed across the city, and additional security measures are in place. There is no need for the public to be anxious. Nothing harmful will happen,” he added.

Expressing concerns regarding the Awami League’s strike announcement on Facebook for Tuesday, the top officer of the DMP said: "We have already taken strict security measures throughout the capital. We have faced similar situations in the past, and we have successfully handled them.”

The commissioner highlighted again the increasing issue of road blockades by various groups, which disrupt traffic and cause hardship for the public.

He urged the protesters not to block roads, which leads to severe inconvenience for people, including ambulance services.

"If you have demands, go to the relevant offices and discuss them at the table instead of blocking roads," he said, adding that it is distressing to see people attempting to achieve their demands by causing suffering to the public.

Earlier, the DMP Commissioner inaugurated the newly repaired the DC (Tejgaon Division) office, which had been damaged during the July-August anti-discrimination student protests last year.