Family members of a commuter give a blank gaze while policemen search his bag at Kamalapur Railway Station on Wednesday. The government has beefed up security across the capital ahead of a graft-case verdict against BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia today (Thursday). — FE Photo by Shafiqul Alam Tensions kept heightening ahead of a graft case verdict today (Thursday) against BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia.
The administration beefed up security by deploying law-enforcers in Dhaka and other areas of the country.
Vehicular movement in the city thinned and shops closed early on Wednesday evening. There were not enough public transports for commuters on the way home from work.
Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan said on Wednesday law enforcement agencies took all the necessary preparations to deal with any kind of chaos and anarchy over the verdict.
"It's very natural that the court will pronounce verdict after trial. We have no information about the verdict. Everything depends on court. We'll carry out our duty as per the court order," said Asaduzzman while talking to reporters at the Secretariat.
The law enforcement agencies have been kept ready to handle any situation as ensuring security for people is their duty, the minister said.
Business leaders expressed concern that the fallout of the verdict might push Bangladesh into a state of uncertainty.
But they also said political activism of vandalism would not be accepted by the people of the country.
Speaking to The financial Express, president of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) said politicians do politics for the people of the country.
"I am sure they (politicians) will think about people before doing anything which might have negative impact on the business and economy," he said.
He also thinks people no more will accept politics of vandalism. "Whatever happens, the solution must come from the negotiation table," he said.
However, President of Bangladesh Dokan Malik Samity SA Quader Kiron expressed grave concern over the standoff between the two major political camps in the country.
He said most shops in the city closed early in the evening.
"If this situation persists, small businesses will be hit hard," he said.
Police shut down roadside shops and markets in the evening forcefully in the capital.
SA Quader Kiron said this is a very bad sign. The country might slip into a long-term political stalemate like that after 2013-14.
Law enforcers have taken a series of measures to prevent BNP supporters from entering the capital so that they cannot assemble on the streets during delivery of the verdict.
Police set up additional checkposts at all eight entry points to the capital. Also, law enforcers might cut off the capital from the rest of the country to prevent BNP men from coming to the city, police sources said.
The DMP imposed a ban on procession, effective from 4:00am today until any further notice, said a DMP release on Tuesday. They had intelligence about possible subversive activities.
Most of the 35,000-strong force of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police will be deployed on the streets. Normally, about 8,000 police members are deployed every day.
A total of 20 platoons of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) have been deployed in Dhaka city to avert any untoward incident.
The Anti-Corruption Commission filed the case on July 3, 2008 with the Ramna police station accusing Khaleda, her eldest son Tarique Rahman, now living in the UK, and four others of misappropriating over Tk 21 million that came as grants from a foreign bank for the Zia Orphanage Trust.
A special court in Dhaka's Bakshibazar area is set to deliver the verdict today.
BNP leaders are ready to wage all-out movement against the government, if Khaleda Zia lands in jail.
A top-level Dhaka city BNP leader, seeking anonymity, told The Financial Express that they were ready to launch all-out programmes depending on the verdict.
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