Hundreds of Bangladeshi youths, recruited as part of a 9,000-strong private militia under the supervision of Youth and Sports and Local Government Adviser Asif Mahmud Sojib Bhuiyan, took part in a mobilisation drill today, said sources in Bangladesh security agencies. The exercise comes ahead of a four-day Awami League protest scheduled from November 10 to 13, coinciding with the International Crimes Tribunal’s verdict against former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Sources in Bangladesh Police have revealed a detailed “special security plan” to deploy a mixture of this auxiliary force and law enforcement personnel across Dhaka. The plan aims to control potential unrest and counter protestors during the upcoming demonstrations.

Security sources said hundreds of young men trained under Bhuiyan’s instructions have been provided standard DMP uniforms and deployed in key areas across the city.

Deployment across nine sectors

The plan involves 6,829 personnel, including armed auxiliaries, deployed across nine sectors of Dhaka. Each sector — including Ramna, Motijheel, Wari, Lalbagh, Tejgaon, Gulshan, Mirpur, and Uttara — has been divided into divisions to ensure coverage of all 49 police station areas under a coordinated security blanket.

For operational efficiency, the force will be organised into platoons stationed in each police area, with deputy commissioners and assistant deputy commissioners controlling operations from central command rooms.

Command and communication

The control rooms will issue directives to platoon leaders via police wireless systems, maintaining real-time updates on crowd movement and potential unrest. Hourly information will be relayed to senior officers at police headquarters, while critical intelligence will be shared with the DMP Commissioner, Additional Commissioners, and heads of crime and operations units.

All personnel deployed during the protests will be equipped with riot gear, raincoats, portable wireless receivers, firearms, and ammunition. Police vehicles will remain on standby to transport personnel injured in potential clashes.

Coordination emphasised

A nine-page police document issued on November 7 stressed the importance of full coordination between officers and auxiliary personnel for operational success. “Collaboration must be the objective among commanders at the ground level,” the document states, underscoring the emphasis on unified command and swift response to any unlawful activities or violent incidents.

The mobilisation of this youth auxiliary force marks a significant step by authorities to ensure tight security during politically sensitive events, reflecting heightened preparations ahead of the Awami League protests and the tribunal verdict period.

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