The New Nation - Internet Edition

The Department of Narcotics Control (DNC) yesterday asked the bars in the capital to keep their shutters closed by 5:00pm today (Monday) to check unruly incidents during the New Year celebration in the city.

The DNC authorities requested the bars to keep their shutters down sending letters yesterday.

On the other hand, a huge contingent of law enforcement members will remain deployed on the streets in the city and thoroughly search vehicles that are to enter the posh areas of the capital. Some 6,000 members of police and RAB will remain deployed in different strategic parts of the city to avert any untoward incident in the capital.

Director General of RAB Hasan Mahmud Khondker told journalists that there was no restriction on celebration of the 31st Night peacefully. But, any kind of unruly behaviours would be controlled in a stringent manner.

Transport movement on some city areas, including Gulshan, Banani, Baridhara and Dhaka University will be restricted after this evening to tackle unruly New Year revellers and ward off any subversive act, according to the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP).

Except for two crossings at Kakoli and Phoenix Road (Gulshan Shooting Club), all the roads and intersections leading to the Gulshan, Banani and Baridhara areas will remain closed for 10 hours from 8:00pm today.

The home ministry earlier decided not to allow any unrestrained celebration and that anyone found drunk on the street will be arrested.

Besides, traffic ban will come into effect on streets around the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), Nilkhet, Palashi, Bakshibazar, Chankharpool, Nimtoli, Government Employees Hospital, and High Court.

Meanwhile, apart from RAB and police, the DNC officials have been conducting special drives in different parts of the city. They have also been maintaining strict vigilance on licensed and unlicensed bars in the city. Even the leave of the officials and employees of DNC has been cancelled so that they can work on the 31st Night in the city.

Md Abu Taleb, Deputy Director of DNC, said revelers generally tend to show over-enthusiasm on the 31st night. In many cases, they get indulged in alien cultures, vulgarism and turn drunk. That is why the bar owners of the capital have been ordered to close down their shutters by 5:00pm today on the occasion of 31st Night.

Despite restrictions have been imposed by the police administration on different clubs in the capital, two clubs at Gulshan and a restaurant have been given special permission to celebrate the 31st night. These clubs are Gulshan Club at Road No. 50 and Cadet College Club at Road No. 44 at Gulshan Avenue. Besides, Mentor Restaurant at Road No. 130 at Gulshan-1 has been accorded special permission to celebrate the 31st Night. Police will be given to ensure the security of these clubs also.

Meanwhile, like previous years different hotels in the city have offered special discounts to their guests on the occasion of the 31st Night.

Five-star Westin Hotel at Gulshan offers rooms at special discounts. The rent of the rooms which is US$ 196 is now being offered at US$ 99.

Radisson Hotel at Airport Road offers rooms of Tk 17,500 at Tk 8,000 on the occasion of the New Year celebration. Some 200 rooms of the hotel have already been booked, hotel authorities told The New Nation yesterday.

Hotel Sweet Dream at Kemal Ataturk Avenue offers rooms of US$ 186 at US$ 100 on the occasion of 31st Night.