A total of 17 sacrificial animal markets have been set up in the capital's two city corporations for Eid-ul-Azha, in addition to the permanent market at Gabtoli and the market at Sarulia in Demra. Thousands of people gather at the markets around the Qurbani Eid and thousands of crores of taka change hands. As in past years, law enforcers are providing tight security at the markets. This time the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), the Detective Branch (DB) and the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) are working together to keep order.

DMP sources said the DMP had met market lessees to prevent any sabotage and to ensure the safety of the markets, buyers and sellers. The security plan was drawn up after separate meetings with local members of parliament and with the deputy commissioners of the DMP's crime and detective divisions.

At the meeting, the Detective Branch asked lessees not to allow any mobile stalls around the markets, because drugging gangs (ogyan party) are most active at such stalls. Traders who eat or drink tea, paan, bidi, sherbet or jhalmuri from these stalls can fall into the hands of such gangs, and everyone needs to be careful, it said.

Under the DMP's security plan, a police control room and CCTV cameras have been set up at every market. Electronic machines and projectors have been installed in the control rooms to detect counterfeit notes, and the projectors show awareness documentaries made by the police on fake notes and drugging gangs.

Given the importance of the markets, the crowds and the money involved, more than a hundred police officers have been deployed at almost every market. Plain-clothes police are posted at key points in and around the markets. Watch towers have been set up every 100 feet, from which police with binoculars keep the markets under constant watch. As every year, the DMP has decided as a matter of policy not to allow any hawkers at the capital's cattle markets.

The DMP has issued special instructions to lessees for traffic management and smooth running of the markets: not forcing sacrificial animals off trucks into a market; not letting animals into a market before the set time; not charging more hasil (toll) than the rate announced by the city corporation; and not allowing mobile stalls near the markets. Markets must not be set up outside the boundaries fixed by the city corporation and the deputy commissioner; CCTV cameras able to record at night must be installed; booths to detect fake notes must be set up; the list of fixed tolls must be displayed on a large banner in a public place; generators must be kept at the markets; and enough volunteers must be engaged.

Besides market security, the DMP plans to tighten security at Dhaka's entry and exit points.

Lt Col Abdullah Al Momen, commander of RAB-1, told Jago News that RAB's security plan for cattle markets in the capital and across the country had been completed. RAB smart patrol teams had stepped up their work, and temporary camps and checkposts had been set up. RAB members in plain clothes were working to stop extortion and robbery of livestock trucks on highways and to prevent extortion, mugging and drugging gangs at cattle markets. Like other members of the law enforcement agencies, RAB gives up its leave at Eid to provide security, he said.

Md Faruk Hossain, deputy commissioner of the DMP's media and public relations division, said enough police would be deployed at all the cattle markets set up for Eid-ul-Azha under the Dhaka Metropolitan Police in 50 police station areas. The DMP's intelligence-gathering division, the Detective Branch and plain-clothes police would also work on market security, preventing fake notes and curbing muggers and all other crime, he said.

Commander Khandaker Al Moin, director of RAB's legal and media wing, said RAB had strengthened market security alongside the police. Cash changes hands at cattle markets, and RAB will help secure the temporary booths of various banks there. Some people force trucks bound for one market to go to another, and drugging and "molom party" gangs become active; security measures have been taken so that no such incidents happen around the markets. Watch towers and temporary camps have been set up, and RAB members are in the field at Dhaka's important entry points and on rail, river and road routes, he said.

AKM Hafiz Akter, additional police commissioner of the DB (DB chief), said that because they were prepared, no major crime took place in the capital during the last Eid-ul-Fitr, and they were fully prepared for the Qurbani Eid as well. Last time counterfeit currency dealers became active before the Puja and during Qurbani and tried to spread fake notes in markets. Those arrested were found to serve short sentences, come out of jail and return to the same crime. So far no trace of fake-note dealing had been found ahead of this Eid, but the dealers were being kept under watch, he said.

The DMP commissioner has suggested that anyone wishing to make a large transaction before Eid should take police assistance.

On drugging gangs, the DB chief said their members often feed traders something and rob them of everything. Lessees of the capital's markets have been told that traders should not eat anything from floating stalls, only from permanent hotels, so that they do not fall into the hands of such gangs.

AKM Hafiz Akter added that instructions had been given not to force trucks bound for one market into another when entering the capital, and that every truck had been asked to carry a banner of the market it was going to. Sacrificial animals had already reached almost all markets, though buying and selling had not yet begun. Because of the Padma Bridge, animals were reaching Dhaka quickly from the south, and the DB was working to ensure no one could rob livestock trucks, he said.

DNCC and DSCC sources said 17 markets were being set up in the Dhaka North and Dhaka South City Corporation areas this year: 10 in the DSCC area and seven in the DNCC area.

Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) has set up 'digital payment booths' at six separate sacrificial animal markets in the capital for Eid-ul-Azha. Under a pilot project, the six DNCC markets are Gabtoli, Bosila, Aftabnagar, Bhatara, Kawla and Uttara Sector 17.

At these markets, the card scheme operators Mastercard, Visa and American Express are payment partners, and six commercial banks (Bank Asia Limited, BRAC Bank Limited, Mutual Trust Bank Limited, Eastern Bank Limited, Islami Bank Bangladesh Limited and The City Bank Limited) are lead banks for setting up and running the booths. bKash Limited and M Cash will also work alongside them.

One digital payment booth will be set up at each market under the project, where buyers can pay sellers for animals by credit or debit card through POS (point of sale) machines, through mobile financial services, by QR code, or by withdrawing cash from an ATM installed at the booth.

Tolls can also be paid to lessees by debit or credit card on POS machines or through mobile financial services, as well as in cash. In the interest of marginal farmers and lessees, no charges will apply to digital transactions (MDR and IRF charges for card use, and cash-out charges for MFS).

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.