The government yesterday decided to take action through the information and foreign ministries against "orchestrated propaganda against Bangladesh from abroad by a vested quarter" to taint the country's image.

In a double-pronged strategy to combat adversities from home and abroad, it also decided to form a special task force for instant action against any criminal acts on information.

The decisions came from the cabinet committee on Law and Order, which reviewed the latest situation in the country before adopting the measures.

The decision against propaganda came following a recent report published against Bangladesh in the Hong Kong-based news magazine Far Eastern Economic Review with aspersions cast on Bangladesh regarding terrorism.

The cabinet committee decided to direct the Bangladesh missions abroad to take necessary steps to halt such "evil propaganda" against the country.

Our Staff Correspondent adds: The government has decided to form two special task forces, one in capital Dhaka and another in the port city of Chittagong to combat terrorism, particularly extortion, snatching and

kidnapping.

The task force in Dhaka will be formed on an emergency basis to check growing incidents of "silent" extortion, snatching, kidnapping and other criminal activities in the city that have made life miserable for the citydwellers many of whom live in constant terror of their lives.

The task force in Chittagong will also be formed as soon as possible as similar incidents of crime are also on the rise there.

The taskforce in Dhaka will comprise of smart and experienced police personnel headed by a senior police official and it will start functioning very soon. The task force in Chittagong will have a similar structure.

The decision to form the special task forces was taken at the 21st meeting of the Cabinet Committee of Law and Order held at the conference room of the Cabinet Division at Bangladesh Secretariat yesterday afternoon.

Chairman of the committee BNP secretary general and LGRD and Co-operatives Minister Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan presided over the meeting.

Meeting sources said the taskforce would act like a

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