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Bangladesh tighten security

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Security being tightened
Security being tightened

Dhaka - Bangladesh World Cup security chiefs on Saturday said they would tighten safety procedures after the West Indies team bus was hit by two stones following their big victory over the co-hosts in the capital.

"We have reviewed the whole security system and decided to strengthen it further," said Colonel (retd) Mesbah Uddin, the security director of the World Cup's local organising committee.

"We will keep the bystanders away from footpaths during the team's travel and will put search lights deep into the dark, narrow alleys on the way," he said.

Angry Bangladesh fans, who greeted the opening match of the World Cup with a glorious celebration two weeks ago, stoned the West Indian team bus on Friday after a humiliating defeat for the home team.

Bangladesh were skittled for their lowest ever one-day international score of 58 before falling to a nine-wicket defeat.

As the victorious West Indian side sat in the bus shortly after leaving the Shere-Bangla Stadium to return to the hotel after the match, fans threw stones, two of which hit the window and broke the glass.

Tanjeeb Ahsan Saad, manager of the Bangladesh team, however, said their bus was not attacked and they all returned to their hotel safely.

Mesbah said the stones came from a dark alley where there was no security in position.

"Stoning the West Indies team was an isolated incident, an emotional outburst of a fan, who mistakenly had targeted the West Indies team," he said.

"Still we have taken it very seriously and informed the International Cricket Council of the details," he said.

The fans also vandalised vehicles, burnt banners and garlands in different parts of the capital Dhaka.

In the south-western district town of Magura, 200km from Dhaka, the fans also attacked the home of Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan and damaged some windowpanes, a local news agency reported.

Bangladesh's Elite force Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) arrested 10 suspects late on Friday for throwing stones at the bus.

The attacks, although resulting in no injuries, are an embarrassment both to the Bangladesh security forces and government which has spent millions of dollars on player and fans' safety.

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina told a parliament session last week that hosting the World Cup would cost her government some $67 million, against the estimated budget of some $60 million.

Imports of sophisticated scanners and other security equipment deployment and the movement of security caused much of the overspend.

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