Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina faces greater risks to her life than most of her foreign counterparts, according to Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner Khandker Golam Faruq.
In light of the high risk, a heavy security blanket has been put in place for the Awami League's 22nd National Council at Dhaka's Suhrawardy Udyan, he told reporters on Friday, reports bdnews24.com.
Hasina, chief of the Awami League, is scheduled to inaugurate the conference at 10:30am on Saturday. Tens of thousands of ruling party leaders and activists from all over the country will attend the event.
“All necessary security measures have been implemented in view of the risks [to the prime minister's security]. The prime minister's life is always in danger. There have been many attempts on her life before. That's why we always treat her safety as a top priority."
Law enforcers have been deployed at the historic venue and its surrounding areas, while the special branch of police and the Rapid Action Battalion will also be a part of the security arrangements.
Archways have been set up at each gate of the Suhrawardy Udyan while CCTV cameras have been installed across the venue for surveillance. Police are also deploying its dog squad to monitor the areas near the stage.
"We have made flawless security arrangements so that Awami League can complete the council in a festive atmosphere. I have come to oversee the measures that are in place to ensure that the prime minister and senior leaders of Awami League do not have any kind of security lapse," said Faruq.
"Among all the great political leaders in the world, our prime minister's life is most at risk. The defeated powers of the 1970s repeatedly tried to end her life. There is plenty of evidence for that."
