Envoys can call security personnel if needed: Kamal

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal on Wednesday said the government will give additional security personnel to ambassadors if they want. 

"Additional security forces will be given to diplomats on payment if they want," he told journalists after a meeting of the task force formed to strengthen discipline and accident control at his ministry conference room in Dhaka.

The committee formed to implement the 111-point recommendations aimed at strengthening discipline in the road transport sector and making recommendations to control accidents.

"When militancy and terrorism emerged in the country, we gave protection to four embassies. But it was not given either written or verbal request to us. We gave road protection for them to avoid any trouble in any way. We did not give protection for anyone outside these four embassies," he said replying to a query.

"We have removed the road protection as such situation does not exist now," he added.

"We have formed Ansar Guard Regiment to ensure this protection. If ambassadors think about security personnel, they can call them (Ansars). The cost of Ansars will have to bear by the embassy," the minister said.

"I want to make repetition that we have police protection for every embassy and gunmen for the four ambassadors. All types of protection were given to them," he added. 

Kamal also said that Ansar Guard Regiment will be provided for the security of ministers and VIPs in phases.

Source: BSS