The government has asked the police and the intelligence agencies to scale up their vigilance to the highest level to resist suicide bombers from carrying out any further attack across the country.

The directive was issued during an emergency meeting on law and order, chaired by the Home Ministry in-charge and Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives Minister, Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan. Top officials of the police and different intelligence agencies were present.

The meeting followed twin suicide attacks on Chittagong and Gazipur courthouses on Tuesday that killed 10 people, including one of the suspected bombers, and injured more than 70. It reviewed the latest law and order situation, especially in the context of the recent spate of suicide blasts.

Top police and intelligence officials were asked to devise means to fight the deadly form of terrorism, sources present in the meeting, officials said on Friday. The meeting suggested that the police should avoid deployment in large groups so as to minimise casualties in case of a bomb attack.

Both police and intelligence activities have been beefed up to thwart further bomb attacks, Bhuiyan told journalists after the meeting. He said the security and law enforcement personnel were asked to “nab the bombers, the masterminds and the patrons”.

They have been briefed about some measures taken after Tuesday’s blasts, Bhuiyan said without elaboration.

The inspector general of police, Abdul Quayyum claimed that more than 50 people had been arrested for suspected involvement in the Gazipur and Chittagong blasts.

“The police are dedicated to their duties and trying arrest the bombers and their bosses.” “They are also alert against possible attacks on them while on duty,” he added. “They will watch out for anyone approaching them and act accordingly. They will also be given bulletproof vests, sophisticated weapons and necessary briefing on how to cope with suicide attacks.”

The topmost police official of Bangladesh insisted that his force was not afraid of militants and suicide attacks.

“They have the experience of facing off Siraj Sikder, founder of Maoist outfit Purba Banglar Sarbahara Party and Gana Bahini (then armed wing of the Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal),” he said.

More than 500 suspected militants have so far been arrested and at least 70 charge sheets relating to the August 17 countrywide blasts have been framed, he claimed.

The home secretary, Safar Raj Hossain, the director general of the Rapid Action Battalion, Abdul Aziz Sarkar, and chiefs of different intelligence branches attended the meeting. Security has, meanwhile, been scaled up in and around key-point installations, including the secretariat.