CMP imposes restriction on traffic

Chittagong Metropolitan Police today imposed a restriction on vehicular movement and carrying sharp weapons, explosives, flammable materials in the port city on Thursday.

Security measures have been beefed up in three state-owned oil establishments in Chittagong. Vehicular movement stretching from Cement Crossing to Potenga Ghat No 11 (Marine Academy Ghat) has been suspended for two days to save those from any kind of sabotage, said a CMP press release on Tuesday night.

The CMP came up with the ban to avert any untoward incident on the day as a special court in Dhaka fixed February 8 to announce verdict in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case filed against Khaleda, her son Tarique Rahman and four others.

They have information that subversive activities might be carried out on the day centring the verdict, said a CMP press release singed by its Commissioner Iqbal Bahar.

The ban on carrying sharp weapons, explosives, flammable materials, sticks, brickships will be effective from 4am and continue till 6pm for unavoidable reasons.

On the other hand, vehicular movement stretching from Cement Crossing to Potenga Ghat No 11 (Marine Academy Ghat) will remain suspended from 4pm on Wednesday and continue till 10pm on Thursday.

According to the press release, vehicles carrying low enforcers, Army, Navy, Air Force personnel and staff buses of the offices located in the stipulated areas will remain out of the purview of the ban.

Policemen imposed tough checks on each and every vehicle entering the city with passengers through Dhaka-Chittagong highway since Tuesday.

Police, in separate drives, detained 80 leaders and activists of BNP-Jamaat from different areas of the district from Tuesday to till Wednesday morning.