Govt plans to turn Dhaka a ‘safe city’, says Home Minister

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal on Tuesday said the government has taken plan to turn Dhaka city a ‘safe city’ as there is no alternative of security to archive Vision 2021 and 2041.

The Home Minister came up with the  remark while addressing as the chief guest at the inaugural programme of the expanded national emergency services through using toll-free hotline number ‘999’ across the country at Osmani Memorial Hall in the city.

The Home Minister said, we already started to work to turn the Dhaka city a ‘safe city’.

“I think, after Dhaka city we can turn other big cities as ‘safe cities’ too,” he said.

If we want to keep the development process to continue and achieve Vision 2021 and 2041, there is no alternative of security, he added.

Describing various initiatives of the government to build the country as digital Bangladesh, the Home Minister said the government has already started “E-Traffic Prosecution and Fine Payment System’ to bring dynamism in traffic management.

“Besides, we have planned to introduce E-Passport system and E-gateway system in Airports so that no one needs to stand in queue in immigration points.”

Referring to beginning of the expanded national emergency services through using toll-free hotline number ‘999’, the Home Minister said it is one of the achievements to build the digital Bangladesh.

The Home Minister hoped that people would get various other services, in future, related to education, agricultural, health, disaster management and various problems-related services through the inaugurated expanded national emergency services “999”, which is now providing services in three areas —ambulance, police and the Fire Service and Civil Defence,

Chaired by IGP AKM Shahidul Hoque, the programme was also addressed among others by Home Secretary Mostafa Kamaluddin.   

Earlier Prime Minister's ICT Affairs Adviser Sajeeb Wazed Joy formally inaugurated the expanded national emergency services through using toll-free hotline number ‘999’ across the country at the National Control and Command Centre well-known as Police Control Room of Abdul Gani Road, besides the Osmani Memorial Hall. 

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, State Minister for ICT Zunaid Ahmed Palak, Inspector General of Police A K M Shahidul Hoque, among others, were also present there.

The number - 999 - is an official emergency telephone number used in a number of countries around the world allowing the caller to contact emergency services for urgent assistance.

Source: unb