Staff Reporter:
State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam has said the government and law enforcement agencies are ensuring the security of foreign diplomats stationed in Dhaka in a much better and more efficient way compared to many other countries.
“Our government and law enforcement agencies have been continuously providing security and will continue to provide it in an efficient way,” he told reporters at state guesthouse Padma on Thursday.
The state minister said the government has already explained the issue and noted that they have a lot of work on their hands. “We have more objectives to achieve. We have explained a lot.”
The Embassy of the United States currently gets 158 security personnel including two gunmen from the Special Branch.
Of them, the embassy, 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 at the US Embassy, according to government data.
However, eight additional personnel, used as escorts, have been withdrawn.
The British High Commission in Dhaka currently gets 29 security personnel and two gunmen while seven additional personnel, used as escorts, have been withdrawn.
On the other hand, the High Commission of India receives 40 security personnel while the Saudi Embassy in Dhaka gets 48 security personnel.
Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen on Wednesday said the government will share information on alternative security services that Ansar can provide for diplomatic missions in Dhaka by Sunday.
“We have discussed in detail the modalities. They (Ansar) have shared information about their capabilities. We have got a kind of idea in which format we will convey to foreign missions,” he told reporters after a meeting with Bangladesh Ansar and VDP Director General Major General AKM Aminul Haque.
The foreign secretary said they will inform the missions through a note verbale.
Ansar is ready to provide additional security protocol to envoys with immediate effect, said the Ansar chief.
Members of Ansar have already worked in such types of duties in the country, including in parliament.
Earlier on Tuesday, the foreign secretary said the government will offer the services of Ansar – a paramilitary auxiliary force – to the foreign missions in Dhaka as alternatives, as the withdrawal of “additional security escort” for four diplomats came into effect.
The foreign secretary held a meeting with the director general of Ansar on Wednesday to know about the facilities they can offer and build a connection with those missions who are willing to take this service.
The foreign secretary 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.
