The government has approved the guideline for the running of an Anti Terrorism Unit (ATU).
This will ensure that the special unit will not have any obstacles in carrying out research, in dealing with cases and launching drives against militants or people suspected of having links with radical outfits.
The Anti Terrorism Unit guideline-2019 has been published from the police headquarters on Tuesday (Nov 19).
It states that the ATU will play a role in preventing militant acts by taking counter-radicalisation and de-radicalisation measures. The unit can also carry out surveillance, stakeouts and take other necessary steps. It will exchange information with national and international agencies at the order of the Inspector General of Police (IGP).
Officers will also assess risk factors and submit yearly reports to the government. The unit head will have the jurisdiction to form Special Weapons and Tactics Team (SWAT), crime scene and bomb blast investigation team, crisis emergency team, explosive disposal team and other specialised cells.
To aid an investigation, help can be sought from psychiatrists, doctors and researchers. The unit will have a research, training and a legal cell.
The government issued a gazette on Sept 20, 2017, confirming its approval of the unit. Two years were spent preparing the guideline.
For the running of the unit, 581 posts were approved. Of these, 31 are cadre posts and 550 temporary ones with 41 vehicles.
The unit will be headed by an Additional IGP who has been appointed with one Deputy Inspector General (DIG), two additional DIGs five Superintendent of Police (SPs) and ten Assistant ASPs.
So far, 500 appointments have been made and the rest is under process. The ATU is housed in Baridhara, block B house 35 on a temporary basis. For A permanent office, the land has been acquired in Purbachal.
ATU police super, Mahiduzzaman, said: “Steps would be taken to begin full operation of the unit.”