The security men deployed at eight venues and four hotels where Saarc leaders and other guests were to stay and attend programmes began retreating after the announcement came in the afternoon.

"We started to pull out forces of strategic venues in the evening," Commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police SM Mizanur Rahman confirmed last night.

The city went through unprecedented security measures as members of various law enforcement agencies were working round the clock to check violence and crimes.

Around 7,000 policemen, over 2,000 Rab (Rapid Action Battalion) members, army troops and different intelligence agencies swung into action yesterday, three days before the scheduled start to 13th summit of the seven South Asian nations.

Army troops and Rab men, police and Armed Police Battalion (APBn) formed a chain around the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre and other venues and Dhaka Sheraton Hotel, where Saarc leaders were scheduled to stay.

The vast field adjacent to the conference centre, which was prepared as parking space, was also kept under constant watch throughout the day. People and vehicles were also off-limits to the road near the conference centre.

Security was further beefed up at the Sheraton Hotel yesterday with only a few people were allowed to enter the premises with vehicles. The closed main gate was opened briefly only to allow foreigners,

boarders, short-listed government officials and security officers to exit from the hotel. People were even barred to walk by the footpath in front of the hotel.

Army, Rab, APBn, police and intelligence men also swarmed the State Guest House Jamuna. Meanwhile, Rab and other intelligence men mounted watch at Guruduara Nanakshahi temple on Dhaka University campus, a venue where Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was scheduled to visit.

Besides, the security men, over the past few days, manned the grave of former president Ziaur Rahman and National Mausoleum in Savar, two places where the Saarc leaders were planned to go.

Besides, security forces with sophisticated arms kept strong vigil at several VIP roads, entry and exit points of the capital, railway station, bus stoppages, Zia International Airport, foreign consulates and key establishments.

Rab men in uniform and plainclothes followed movement of people at places adjacent to the venues, and checked suspicious people with dog squad. Over 200 teams of Rab detectives had been working since Tuesday.