Bangladesh security force told to keep eyes off the ball

Police and elite security forces in Bangladesh have been warned against "loitering" and watching cricket.

DHAKA: Police and elite security forces in Bangladesh have been warned against "loitering" and watching the cricket rather than doing their job at the World Cup.

The country's home office issued a statement warning of a crackdown on the "rogue" security officials after members of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and police were spotted lazing in media seats at a match in Dhaka on Saturday.

"The security people deployed at the stadium should be on their toes or inside their camps and must not loiter around or occupy others' chairs in the gallery during World Cup matches," a Home Ministry official said, reading out excerpts from an order sheet for Reuters.

The order was issued before Bangladesh meet Ireland in Dhaka on Friday in Group B. Bangladesh are jointly hosting the World Cup with subcontinent neighbours India and Sri Lanka. They staged the opening game last Saturday with a defeat by India.

On the opening match in the country, officials of the International Cricket Council (ICC) and Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) saw that a number of seats were occupied by a section of security officials and their families at the media overflow area.

"Some of them were on duty and the rest managed their entry through their colleagues having authority to issue an on-duty pass," the Home Ministry official said.

He asked not to be named as the matter was so sensitive.

"The order is likely to prevent the rogue officials from becoming spectators at the stadium instead of doing their duty on match days," an official of the RAB said.

Several hundred security officials drawn from police, RAB and intelligence agencies from different forces including the army will remain deployed in and around the stadium to give security to the players, officials and fans during match days.

"If the order is flouted or any personnel found repeating such an offence in the coming World Cup matches, they will be demoted or suspended from the service," said a police spokesman.

"We must stop this attitude of some people enjoying matches at the expense of others or without making any payment.

"We will not allow any official irrespective of rank and file to lower the image of the nation in this illegal way."

Dhaka is hosting five more matches including a quarter-final on March 25.