Envoys can call security personnel if needed: Kamal

Home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal on Wednesday said the government will deploy 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 accidents control at his ministry conference room.

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 were emerged in the country, we allotted protection for four embassies. But we didn’t receive any written or verbal request. We provided 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 repeat that we have police protection for every embassy and gunmen for the four ambassadors. All types of protection were given for them,” he added.

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