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SAARC MEET

Militant hunt planned for blanket security

STAFF CORRESPONDENT
The law enforcement agencies are likely to launch a massive hunt for militants and criminals ahead of the 13th Saarc (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) Summit in Dhaka to ensure foolproof security during the meet scheduled for January 9-11 next.
Sources at the second inter-ministerial meeting on security of the Saarc summit held yesterday said the militant hunt would be launched to allay possible concern of foreign delegates to the summit over the security situation in the country.
Talking to newsmen later, State Minister for Home Affairs Lutfozzaman Babar, who chaired the meeting, ruled out any possibility of the summit being affected by recent bomb blasts and threats. The summit will take place as
planned, he asserted.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Khaleda Zia sat with Dhaka Mayor Sadeque Hossain Khoka, Housing and Public Works Minister Mirza Abbas, and Communications Minister Nazmul Huda at her office yesterday to emphasise a congenial atmosphere in the capital during the summit.
At the inter-ministerial meet held at the home ministry, a proposal was tabled to construct a by-pass road linking VIP road with Zia International Airport to ease traffic congestion during the summit.
The proposed road would be an extension of VIP road through the old Tejgaon airport to avoid heavy congestion of vehicles crossing the soon-to-be-completed Mohakhali flyover on VIP road.
At the meeting, the state minister
reiterated his call to law enforcing agencies to focus on all security flash points in the capital before and during the January summit.
Babar said the focal points security during the summit would the venues of its major programmes -- China-Bangladesh Friendship Centre and Hotel Sheraton-- Zia International Airport (ZIA), and Ansar Academy at Shafipur where a retreat of the delegates is scheduled.
Police, Rapid Action Battalion (Rab), Bangladesh Rifles, Ansar and military personnel would be assigned to conduct security operations during the summit, meeting sources said.
The Rab is already carrying out a counter- militant operation, especially at the ZIA, in preparation for the summit security, the sources added.
The meeting also discussed a proposal to block the road from state guest house Jamuna to Hotel Sheraton and to block Crescent Road adjacent to Sangsad Bhaban, instead of blocking the roads around Ramna Park leading to Hotel Sheraton.
Saarc security coordinators and Hotel Sheraton authorities are also discussing collaboration on security arrangements at the hotel during the summit.
At the meeting at her office, the prime minister directed the mayor to ensure beautification of the city ahead of the summit and cleanliness of the streets.
She asked the communications minister to take immediate steps to repair major roads and the works minister to renovate key buildings in the city.
The meeting was attended by, among others, Home Secretary Omar Farooq, Foreign Secretary Shamsher M Chowdhury, the BDR chief, Inspector General of Police, Rab chief, and director general of Special Security Force.