Separate battalion for judiciary on the cards

The government will introduce a separate battalion under the Armed Police Battalion (APBn) to ensure the security system of the judiciary. 

The separate battalion will work under the supervision of the Supreme Court (SC) administration, said SC sources.
The SC wrote to the home ministry on March 31, 2015, asking for a separate battalion to guard the judiciary. It urged the home ministry to use the APBn to ensure security on the SC premises, other courts across the country and the residence of the Chief Justice.
The SC authorities took the initiative after a seven-member judges’ committee, led by Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain of the Appellate Division, made a proposal to have a separate battalion to look after the security of the apex court. The letter suggested that the battalion would comprise 1,000 armed personnel led by a superintendent of police (SP). Under the SP’s supervision, there would be six additional SPs, eight assistant SPs, 35 inspectors, 115 sub-inspectors and 700 policemen.
The authorities have approved some 600-odd APBn personnel, who are now being trained, sources said. 
According to the sources, SP Tofail Ahmed will lead the special APBn battalion. 
Some of the personnel are reportedly already working in plainclothes on and around the SC premises. The authorities will establish a temporary barrack on the western side of the War Crimes Tribunal for the APBn personnel, the sources added.
The authorities will also set up security devices at every entry point of the SC. 
Everyone has to show an identity proof before they can enter the apex court premises.

Even litigants will have to wait at the gate. Their lawyers will have to inform the security guards about them. Only then will the security guards allow them inside, the sources said.
A senior judicial official, on condition of anonymity, told this correspondent that the APBn battalion will monitor all the gates of the court. 
They will check all suspects. They will also watch over the judges’ residence and act as their personal security guards.
Additional registrar of the Supreme Court (administration), Sabbir Foyez, told The Independent that the battalion will join work right after completing training. He said it will work to enhance the security of the entire judiciary.
The move comes in the wake of back-to-back terror attacks at Gulshan, Sholakia and other places in the country. 
On August 17, 2005, the militant group Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) exploded a series of bombs on all court premises at the same time. 
The same group killed two judges by suicide bombings at Jhalokathi.
In the same year, they exploded bombs on Gazipur and Chittagong court premises. Nine people were killed in the attack on the office of the Gazipur Lawyer’s Association.
Besides the JMB, other militant groups have also threatened to attack court premises. Blasts were also carried out on the homes of both higher and lower court judges.
Two bomb-like objects were found in the SC annexe in January 2015. On the same day, police found a loaded pistol in a toilet of the Lawyers’ Association. After this incident, the authorities became anxious about the security of the higher court.

 

 

Separate battalion for judiciary on the cards

The government will introduce a separate battalion under the Armed Police Battalion (APBn) to ensure the security system of the judiciary. The separate battalion will work under the supervision of the Supreme Court (SC) administration, said SC sources. The SC wrote to the home ministry on March 31, 2015, asking for a separate battalion to guard the judiciary. It urged the home ministry to use the APBn to ensure security on the SC premises, other courts across the country and the residence of the Chief Justice. The SC authorities took the initiative after a seven-member judges committee, led by Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain of the Appellate Division, made a proposal to have a separate battalion to look after the security of the apex court. The letter suggested that the battalion would comprise 1,000 armed personnel led by a superintendent of police (SP). Under the SPs supervision, there would be six additional SPs, eight assistant SPs, 35 inspectors, 115 sub-inspectors and 700 policemen. The authorities have approved some 600-odd APBn personnel, who are now being trained, sources said. According to the sources, SP Tofail Ahmed will lead the special APBn battalion. Some of the personnel are reportedly already working in plainclothes on and around the SC premises. The authorities will establish a temporary barrack on the western side of the War Crimes Tribunal for the APBn personnel, the sources added. The authorities will also set up security devices at every entry point of the SC. Everyone has to show an identity proof before they can enter the apex court premises. Even litigants will have to wait at the gate. Their lawyers will have to inform the security guards about them. Only then will the security guards allow them inside, the sources said. A senior judicial official, on condition of anonymity, told this correspondent that the APBn battalion will monitor all the gates of the court. They will check all suspects. They will also watch over the judges residence and act as their personal security guards. Additional registrar of the Supreme Court (administration), Sabbir Foyez, told The Independent that the battalion will join work right after completing training. He said it will work to enhance the security of the entire judiciary. The move comes in the wake of back-to-back terror attacks at Gulshan, Sholakia and other places in the country. On August 17, 2005, the militant group Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) exploded a series of bombs on all court premises at the same time. The same group killed two judges by suicide bombings at Jhalokathi. In the same year, they exploded bombs on Gazipur and Chittagong court premises. Nine people were killed in the attack on the office of the Gazipur Lawyers Association. Besides the JMB, other militant groups have also threatened to attack court premises. Blasts were also carried out on the homes of both higher and lower court judges. Two bomb-like objects were found in the SC annexe in January 2015. On the same day, police found a loaded pistol in a toilet of the Lawyers Association. After this incident, the authorities became anxious about the security of the higher court.