DHAKA: Dhaka will not agree with New Delhi’s plan to deploy its special security force to guard the Indian High Commission here, a government high-up gave the broad hint.  

“Indian authorities have requested us to deploy special security force and we have something different in our mind,” a Cabinet Minister told banglanews24.com.bd.

On condition of anonymity, the Minister said that the issue came up at the cabinet meeting in the presence of the Prime Minister and the majority responded in the negative.

The Indian High Commission (IHC) here sent a letter to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on April 7 and sought permission to deploy a team of special security force for guarding the IHC and the residence of the High Commissioner.

Known as ‘Sashastra Seema Bal- SSB’, a border-guarding force under the Indian Home Ministry, the contingent was raised in 1963.  Its members are deployed along the Nepalese and Bhutanese borders.

The proposed 36-member security team would have been armed.  
 
The foreign office forwarded the letter to the Home Ministry, which later passed it on to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).

In the meantime, opposition leader in Parliament Khaleda Zia expressed her concern over the issue.

“We tried to understand their argument. But, there is not enough ground to allow it,” the minister said, adding, “Our law enforcers were asked to beef up security.”

BDST: 1830, May 27, 2010
AKR/FA/MUA