Staff Correspondent: Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) will provide security for the long-awaited launch of the Metro rail service in capital Dhaka, which is all set to open to traffic formally.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate the first phase of the Metro – spanning Uttara (Diabari) to Agargaon, on December 28, UNB reports.
Though it has been decided that a specialised new police unit named “Mass Rapid Transit Police” or “MRT Police” will be formed to ensure security and safety checks at every station of the metro rail, the DMP will do the job in the interim.
The process to form the MRT police unit is running late for some procedures, including the final approval of the Secretaries’ Committee under the Cabinet Division.
Contacted, additional DIG (O&M) of Police Headquarters (PHQ), SM Mostak Ahmed told UNB that the draft proposal for formation of the specialised MRT police unit is now at the Cabinet Division for the Secretaries’ Committee’s final approval. The draft proposal was scheduled to be discussed Monday at the Secretaries’ Committee.
“The process of forming the MRT Police will start after getting the approval from the committee,” Mostak added.
Replying to a question, he said the Metrorail authority has sent a letter to the DMP requesting security until the MRT police unit is functional. The DMP will look into the matter, he added.
Contacted, Deputy Commissioner (DC) of DMP’s media wing Md Faruque Hossain said the DMP has been providing security for the Metro Rail project ever since construction works. As the metro rail authority has already requested the DMP for security from the beginning of formal operation on December 28, local thana police along with reserve force will provide security, he said.
The Metro rail authority has requested around 3000 police members but the DMP will provide an adequate number to ensure security and safety of the stations, the DC (Media) added.
During a presentation on Metro rail at Ganobhaban in September 2019, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina underscored the need for the formation of the separate police unit for ensuring the security of the metro rail.
Later, the Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL), under the Ministry of Road, Transport, and Bridges Ministry, submitted the proposal to the Police Headquarters in the same month for the formation of the MRT police.
Following the proposal, the Police Headquarters had sent a draft organogram to the Home Ministry’s Public Security Division for forming the new unit. After scrutiny, the division later sent the draft to the Public Administration Ministry, from where it went to the Finance Ministry and finally to the Cabinet division.
One deputy inspector general (DIG) of police will head up the proposed force, primarily to be formed with 357 members. The number will be increased in phases, AIG (O&M) Mostak said.
