The home ministry today issued a 13-point directive to ensure a congenial atmosphere during the celebrations of the Bangla New Year.

In a law-and-order meeting at the Secretariat today, the ministry decided to take legal action against those spreading propaganda on social media and Facebook about the Bangla New Year.

Besides, it also decided to ban "vuvuzela" flute, lanterns or fireworks. It said all the celebrations must end by 6:00pm.

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal presided over the meeting.

According to a statement the home ministry, the district administration, district police, and organisers will ensure security at various events including Pahela Baishakh celebrations, Baishakhi Mela, and sports and cultural events across the country through coordination.

Special security units including Dog squads will be deployed for surveillance and ensuring security at important places including Ramna Batamul, Ramna Park, Suhrawardy Udyan, Dhaka University, Hatirjheel, and Rabindra Sarobar, it reads.

Besides, necessary security will be ensured on the premises of Bangla Academy.

The security apparatus will be strengthened by volunteers who will coordinate with law enforcers.

During the New Year, special security will be provided to important areas and installations, including diplomatic areas. Fire service teams with fire fighting vehicles and ambulances will remain standby at important points in Dhaka city and across the country.

A medical team will also remain standby to respond to any emergency, according to the home ministry statement.

The home ministry meeting also decided that mobile courts and intelligence agencies would be deployed to prevent any untoward incident including eve-teasing, mugging, and pickpocketing.

The statement said better meals will be served in the country's prisons and cultural programmes will be arranged for the inmates during the New Year celebrations.

The statement also said that measures will be in place to prevent drug abuse in the Bengali New Year.