No change in diplomatic security

There have been no changes in the diplomatic security in Dhaka with only escort services for clearing traffic congestion used by a few embassies have been revoked giving them options to hire from the members of the Ansar battalion who are specially trained to do such jobs.

“Our government and law enforcement agencies have continuously been providing the security (to diplomats) and will continue to provide that in an efficient way,” State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam said on Thursday as there have been concerns over a recent decision to withdraw escort services from some embassies.

That escort service was not in the purview of diplomatic security.

For example, the Embassy of the United States used to get 158 security personnel including two gunmen from the Special Branch. They will remain on duty as it is.

Of them, the chancery, residence and other establishments receive 39 security personnel each and the total number is 117.

Thirty-nine more security personnel are deployed for the residences of other diplomats’ of the US Embassy, according to government data.

Only the eight additional security escorts have been withdrawn. Instead of them, the government offered to take personnel from the Ansar battalion.

The state minister said the diplomatic security in Bangladesh is far better than many other countries in the world.

Director General of the Ansar Major General Aminul Huq on Wednesday night after his meeting with Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen said that they are ready to provide additional security protocol to envoys of the foreign missions with “immediate effect”.

“The personnel of the Ansar battalion have the same training as the army and they are being provided with the latest models of light fire-arms,” he said, adding that some of them have already been engaged in such types of protocol duties.

They are doing the duty in the parliament, and the ICDDR,B. Ansar is a paramilitary auxiliary force in Bangladesh.

The Foreign Secretary said that they had discussed the modalities for providing additional security protocols for the envoys by the personnel of the Ansar Battalion.

“The details will be notified to the concerned missions after everything is finalised,” he said.

Earlier, on Monday, Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen told the media about the government decision of withdrawal of additional police protocol for the envoys.

The foreign ministry also maintained that withdrawal of the additional protocol does not violate the Vienna Convention as the government is committed to provide full proof security to the foreign envoys and missions.

He said the government is aware of the responsibilities as a host country under the Vienna Convention and regular security measures for foreign missions and their personnel remain unchanged.

There is a separate diplomatic police division in Dhaka Metropolitan Police.

Courtesy: Bangladesh Post