The security was strengthened suddenly on Monday night (October 13) at the US Embassy in Dhaka and its surrounding areas. Members of the police’s specialised SWAT unit were deployed there. In addition, officers from the Gulshan Division of the police also went to the scene.

Police say security has been stepped up at the US Embassy following intelligence about a specific threat.

Several senior officials of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) confirmed that members of the Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) unit had been deployed to the embassy premises.

The deployment includes personnel from the CTTC’s bomb disposal unit as well as the specialised SWAT team, one officer said.

The SWAT members, trained for high-risk operations, are equipped with heavy weapons and specialised gear.

Masud Alam, assistant commissioner at the DMP’s Gulshan Division, said security in and around the US Embassy area had been reinforced due to concerns over a potential security risk.