700 security companies run on mere trade licences

Private security service companies are running their businesses without any specific rules and regulations in place amid a growing risk that militants masquerading as security staff may plot acts of sabotage against Bangladesh’s important establishments.

Like other businesses, security service providers are operating merely with a trade licence, depriving their owners and staff of certain benefits. The companies are not being properly monitored as well, said people involved in the sector.

Speaking to the Dhaka Tribune, Mohammad Shah Alam Sarker, general secretary of Bangladesh Security Services Companies Owners Association, said: “Anyone can launch a security service business with a licence from city corporations or municipality authorities. But, if the agencies want an arms licence for their guards, they have to sign a contract and take permission either from the district administration or from the Home Ministry.”

At present, 300,000 to 400,000 people are employed as security guards by a total of 700 agencies at different establishments across the Bangladesh, including important offices, spots, shopping malls, banks, residential areas and apartment buildings.

Of the companies, 450 are members of his association, said Shah Alam.

As detectives started vetting the guards to prevent militants masquerading as security staff from plotting acts of sabotage on intelligence that militants are taking up jobs at the companies, Shah Alam said: “To check the possible inclusion of militants, we are working on integrating all the agencies into our association so that so that none can conduct unlawful activities camouflaging as an employee of a security service provider.”

However, security analyst Maj Gen (retd) Abdur Rashid said: “So far we have not seen unlawful activities being carried out by staff of the agencies. Yet, there have to some specific regulations to monitor them and to evade possible untoward situations, because there is a chance that people with ill intent may conduct illegal activities using the names of security service providers.”

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Also Read- Militant connection: Security guards under detectives’ scanner

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Past steps went in vain

Admitting to the non-existence of law, Shah Alam said: “During the last caretaker government, then Home Affairs advisor Maj Gen (retd) MA Matin proposed to formulate a law, Private Security Regulation 2007, for the agencies. But it did not see the light of day due to some complexities.” The initiative did not progress, as some of the agencies filed a writ with the High Court against it, he explained. According to the proposed law, private security guards would not wear insignias worn on the uniforms of armed forces and law enforcement agencies. Instead, their uniforms would carry bright-coloured logos or monograms of their recruiting agencies. Armed guards on duty will wear only government-selected uniforms with names and monograms of their recruiting agencies embossed on them, it said. Also, there was a provision in the proposed law that the companies would have to inform the police of their overall situations and staff.

No code of conduct

Though 15 to 20 agencies have been able to draw the people’s attention with their “distinctive, high-quality” services, most companies are operating according to their whim as they do not have to face any questions from the authorities concerned, said a high official at Elite Force, a security service provider. In the same vein, Country Security Services Ltd Managing Director Md Joynal Abedin Khan said most of the agencies do not comply with law as there is no specific code of conduct defined by the government for them. Sohel Rana, a resident in Badda area of Dhaka, said many organisations prefer private guards for security purposes to regular law enforcement agencies as the latter remain busy dealing with more complicated issues.