A high-powered meeting at the Ministry of Communications yesterday said removing minibuses is needed for beautification of the capital.

The meeting observed that despite the government's earlier decisions to ban plying of more than 15-year-old public transports on the city streets, a large number of such vehicles are still running in the capital.

Some owners are running the old vehicles on the street after renovation and painting with new colours, the meeting was told.

Communications Minister Nazmul Huda, who chaired the meeting, observed that plying of old and run-down minibuses is the main cause of long traffic congestions in the capital.

He asked the police to check the conditions of buses at all entry points to the capital.

High police officials, members of civil society, and officers-in-charge of all police stations in Dhaka district were present at the meeting on law and order and violence control committee for Dhaka district.

Nazmul Huda ordered the police to file cases against the owners along with the vehicles that are detained for carrying drugs and contraband items.

He said a vested quarter may target the capital to create violence for political gain before the next general elections.

He asked the police officials to remain watchful and see whether criminals take shelter on the city outskirts after committing subversive activities in the capital.

In Dhaka district, the number of cases was the lowest in Dohar upazila, the meeting was told.

Nazmul Huda also stressed the need for actions against the player behind the scene and financier of recent suicide bomb attacks in different parts of the country.

The meeting was told that the police patrol at the Dhaka district court has been beefed up for providing additional security to the court and judges.

The meeting asked the police to provide gunmen for the women and children repression control court judges who come by private cars and decided to provide police escorts to the minibuses carrying the members of the judicial associations.

Police was also asked to collect information about the people who rent houses in the capital and in Dhaka district.

The cases of robbing and snatching taxicabs in the capital reduced following police actions in some city suburbs where the robbers often take shelter, the meeting was told.