Removal of extra “Security Escort” for foreign envoys and unnecessary uproar
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Safowan Hossain Khan
Recently, the governments of the UK, US, India, and Saudi Arabia agreed to stop providing “additional police escort” services to their embassies in Dhaka. Under this “extra escort” option, police officers in riot gear used to accompany the envoys from those nations as they moved throughout the city in their vans.
Since the withdrawal was first announced, it has received extensive but brief media coverage. On social media, rumors abound about whether the withdrawal is a result of the government’s reportedly strained ties with particular Western nations or its annoyance with recent activities of a foreign envoy, which the government understandably views as interference in the country’s internal affairs. Additionally, it seems from the way the decision has been publicized in national and some foreign media that those envoys’ travels will be completely unaccompanied and their chancery complexes or houses will not be safeguarded from the time the order is put into effect.
However, the decision has been made to remove “additional escort” services that had previously been added to the current “usual arrangements” for the convenience of internal security and up to this point, provided to the envoys from certain nations. The foreign ministry has already stated, in response to the unnecessary commotion and anxiety, that the police snipers will continue to accompany the envoys on their travels and that the security staff from the designated policy unit will continue to be tasked with watching over the senior diplomats’ homes and chancery buildings as usual. (To be contd)
Recently, the governments of the UK, US, India, and Saudi Arabia agreed to stop providing “additional police escort” services to their embassies in Dhaka. Under this “extra escort” option, police officers in riot gear used to accompany the envoys from those nations as they moved throughout the city in their vans.
Since the withdrawal was first announced, it has received extensive but brief media coverage. On social media, rumors abound about whether the withdrawal is a result of the government’s reportedly strained ties with particular Western nations or its annoyance with recent activities of a foreign envoy, which the government understandably views as interference in the country’s internal affairs. Additionally, it seems from the way the decision has been publicized in national and some foreign media that those envoys’ travels will be completely unaccompanied and their chancery complexes or houses will not be safeguarded from the time the order is put into effect.
However, the decision has been made to remove “additional escort” services that had previously been added to the current “usual arrangements” for the convenience of internal security and up to this point, provided to the envoys from certain nations. The foreign ministry has already stated, in response to the unnecessary commotion and anxiety, that the police snipers will continue to accompany the envoys on their travels and that the security staff from the designated policy unit will continue to be tasked with watching over the senior diplomats’ homes and chancery buildings as usual. (To be contd)