Security arrangement at embassy
The report of deployment of Indian special security forces in the High Commission premises has been made an issue by BNP leaders without ascertaining whether this is allowed under the Geneva Conventions. They have two ex-foreign secretaries in the party as advisors. Therefore, they could find out the real position in this regard. But, instead, they raised the bogey of our sovereignty being threatened and so on!
The Geneva Conventions permit foreign embassies to arrange their own security arrangements, if need be. Their premises are off-limits to the host country's law enforcing agencies. That is why people seeking political asylum, sometimes take refuge in a foreign embassy and the govt. cannot enter it to capture the person without the permission of the chancery. In fact, the embassy premises are the sovereign area of the related country and that is why they can fly their own flag inside the premises. It seems anything concerning India will set BNP howling, no matter what!
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News that was covered by most of the dailies and few media channels in the last few days is: “Indian security forces have taken over the security measures of their embassy which is a threat to our sovereignty.”
This news has got no value at all. Politics and the ignorance of politicians made it news at national level. Politics is there because it is that age old "INDIA" factor.
The home minister should have dealt with it properly and she should know everything before replying to the journalists and BNP spokesman Mr Nazrul Islam should have known the facts before spiting venom, because he himself was an ambassador when the BNP was at the helm of the country. And media channels should have known the facts and should not have given importance to such unimportant news to confuse the people. The practice of deploying security force of their own in any embassy is a recognized norm under the pact of Geneva Convention on diplomatic relations 1961, Clause 22, where it has been granted that any embassy can deploy their own security forces to protect their territory as per their desire and requirement.
Dr Md Shameem Hassan, New DOHS, Mohakhali, Dhaka
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