Following killings of Italian national in Dhaka and Japanese citizen in Rangpur, law enforcement agencies strengthened security for foreigners staying outside Dhaka as well.

Some foreign nationals outside the capital were still reported to be leaving for Dhaka, while some others postponed visits outside the capital on security ground.

In Khulna, a total of 373 nationals of the USA, Korea, Italy, China, Japan and Thailand are working in non-government organisations, churches, educational institutes in Khulna, Bagerhat, Jessore and Satkhira districts.

The foreign citizens have been advised to inform police before going to their workplaces or visiting different locations.

Though security was tightened in Khulna region, 17 foreigners have already left for Dhaka according to data of a private airline, while a German team postponed its visit there on security grounds.

As foreign nationals and representatives of donor agencies feel sense of insecurity during their movement in the country’s southwestern region, it’ll hinder implementation of various development projects there.

As many as 226 foreigners are now staying at Sonadanga, Khalishpur, Daulatpur and Maheshwarpasha in Khulna city, Neihati and Batiaghata in Rupsha upazila, and Chalona in Dacope upazila under Khulna district.

Besides, 83 foreign nationals are now staying in Bagerhat district, including 38 people working in Mongla EPZ, 30 in Chinese Harbour Dredging Company, 10 in cement factories, five in NGOs and two in under construction Silo.

Some 62 foreign nationals are now in Satkhira and 24 in Jessore.

Chief Planning Officer of Khulna City Corporation (KCC) Abir-Ul Zabbar said German KFW Development Bank-financed development works of at least Tk 100 crore now continue in Khulna city.

“A four-member German delegation, led by Director of its Planning Ministry, was scheduled to visit here, but the visit has been postponed for security reasons,” he said.

Spokesman of Khulna Metropolitan Police Sheikh Moniruzzaman Mithu said police enhanced its patrol at workplaces and residences of some 190 foreign nationals under eight police stations in the city. Besides, plainclothes police were deployed to ensure security for them.

Superintendent of Police (SP) of Khulna district Habibur Rahman said police gives the highest importance to security of 36 foreigners under nine police stations. Additional police will be deployed, if foreign nationals of any organisation feel sense of insecurity, he added.

DIG of Khulna Range SM Monir-uz-Zaman said the police members were kept alert to ensure security to foreign citizens in all the 10 districts under the Khulna division.

In Sylhet, a total of 293 foreigners are now staying in district. Many of them are the USA, Japanese and Chinese engineers and technicians who work in various development projects, said Additional SP (Media) of Sylhet Suggan Chakma.

But Sylhet Metropolitan Police (SMP) has no accurate statistics of foreign citizens who have been living for a long time in the city, said an SMP official.

As part of strengthening the security for foreign nationals, the SMP on Sunday last sat a meeting with owners and manager of hotels, cottage and rest houses asked them to be alert over security for the foreigners and to help police providing information in this regard.

A special hotline has been opened in SMP to provide service to foreigners on an urgent basis. The foreign nationals have been asked to inform police through the hotline in case of changing their location.

SMP additional commissioner SM Rokanuddin Ahmed said they were giving highest importance to security issue of foreign nationals. They have no accurate statistics of foreigners who are now in the city.

However, SMP Assistant Deputy Commissioner (Media) Rahmatullah said works is on to prepare a list of foreign nationals staying in the city.

In Jessore, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) issued a red alert in Benapole border area on Tuesday for an indefinite period so that the terrorists and criminals could not flee from the country following the killing of two foreigners in the capital and Rangpur.

An Italian citizen was killed in the capital’s Gulshan area on September 28 and a Japanese national in Rangpur on October 3.

UNB/RI