DHAKA: The government has deployed 208 platoons of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) personnel across the country including the capital since Thursday morning to thwart any untoward situation during the ongoing hartal called by BNP-led alliance.

BGB headquarters’ public relations officer M Mohsin Reza told banglanews that more six platoons of the border force started patrolling the city from 6:00am to make the lives and properties of people safe and secure.

Ahead of the BNP-called daylong hartal, 20 platoons BGB members were deployed in the city till 6:00am.

Apart from this, 82 platoons BGB men have been deployed outside the Dhaka city to contain sabotage, he added.

Besides, 116 platoons are patrolling different highways to avert any subversive activities targeting vehicles.

Mohsin Reza went on saying that more 68 platoons have been kept reserved to deploy at places if necessary.

A dawn-to-dusk hartal, enforced by BNP-led 20-party alliance, is underway in Dhaka and eight neighboring districts on Thursday.

The other districts are Gazipur, Narayanganj, Munshiganj, Manikganj, Tangail, Kishoreganj, Narsingdi and Mymensingh.

BDST: 1010 HRS, JAN 29, 2015