Envoys can call security personnel if needed: Kamal

The government will give additional security personnel to ambassadors on payment if they want, said Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal.

He told journalists after a meeting of the task force formed to strengthen discipline and accidents control at his ministry conference room on Wednesday.

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

“We gave protection for four embassies when militancy and terrorism were emerged in the country. But it was not given either written or verbal request to us.

"When militancy and terrorism were emerged in the country, we gave protection for four embassies. But it was not given either written or verbal request to us. To prevent any sort of incident, we provided road protection for them. No one outside of these four embassies received our protection.," 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 for them," he added. 

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