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Nation gets ready to embrace Pahela Baishakh

Security blanket spread

Staff Correspondent
As the Bangalees celebrate Pahela Baishakh, die first day of Bangla year 1415 today, security agencies have already swung into high alert to prevent any terrorist attack on the festivities.
The traditional centres of celebration around Ramna Park, Suhrawardy Udyan, Shahbagh and Dhaka University campus are under a tight security net as hundreds of thousands carnival goers are expected to throng central Dhaka to welcome the Bangla New Year.
Chhayanat starts its musical programme at Ramna Batamul at sunrise, while the Fine Arts Institute is scheduled to bring out its traditional procession of floats and giant masks around 9:00am to usher in luck with the year 1415. A
host of other programmes are also planned in and around the city
Over twelve thousand members of police, Rapid Action Battalion (Rab), Special Branch and Detective Branch will be keeping their sharp eyes on the movements of carnival goers.
"We are taking the measures in consideration of existing threats," said Rab DG Hassan Mahmood Khandkar at a news conference yesterday after a demonstration of force by the security agencies for the big day.
Hassan however declined to name the threats for security reasons, while appealing to city residents to bear with security procedures during the day.
Rab and police personnel are posted at all entrances to Ramna Park to avert a repetition of the 2001 terrorist attack on the heart of the celebrations at Ramna Batamul.
The security agency personnel will also distribute drinking water around Ramna Park area, while Fire Brigade and ambulance services will also be deployed.
Roads stretching from Matsya Bhaban through Shahbagh to Duel Chattar inside Dhaka University campus are off-limits to all vehicles during the carnival. A total of 24 closed circuit TVs have been installed across the capital
Dog squads, bomb squads, close circuit security cameras, and metal detectors have also been deployed as part of the security detail.
Replying to a question, Karim said they had not yet got any threat from any terrorist organisation like Harkatul Jihad, neither had they got any report of calls for boycotting the celebrations.
PRESIDENT, CAGREET NATION President lajuddin Ahmed and Chief Adviser Faknruddin Ahmed, through separate messages, conveyed new year's greetings to the nation yesterday.
Referring to the language, culture, literature, agriculture and economic activities of the nation that arc deeply rooted in the Bangla calendar. President lajuddin said, "Pahela Baishakh is a unique day of nurturing our everlasting tradition and self-realisation."
He hoped that die Bangla New Year will "enrich all with welfare-oriented thinking through forgetting all previous conflicts and also will be the harbinger of joy for all'.
Chief Adviser Fakhruddin said celebration of Pahela Baishakh has been an integral part of the Bangalee culture, tradition and livelihood since time immemorial.