Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has preferred Hotel Pan Pacific Sonargaon over the State Guest House Jamuna for staying at during his visit to Bangladesh.
The reason behind this was found to be that it is the safest place for the head of government of India to stay at, which was proven five years ago, and that’s why former Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh also stayed in this hotel during his visit to Bangladesh in 2011.
That Modi would stay in Sonargaon was decided a month ago. Advance security team from India finalised it for the prime minister to stay after visiting the hotel and the government guest house.
However, it was kept confidential until the day before his arrival in Dhaka.
Modi's advanced security team came to Bangladesh on the 17th of last month.
They then set up some security arrangements and devices in the Sonargaon Hotel after a security inspection.
From then on, the group has been there; new members joined the team consistently.
"The Indian security forces would ensure his physical security while Bangladesh forces are to ensure security in his movement and the venue"
Public Relations Officer of Sonargaon Hotel Md Azim told the special correspondent of Bangla Tribune, a sister concern of Dhaka Tribune: "Sonargaon Hotel has its own security system for the heads of state or government. Prime Minister Modi’s security team has finalised the arrangements after consecutive meetings with the hotel's security department. The government of Bangladesh has also monitored the security of the Sonargaon Hotel."
Sonargaon Hotel is located at Karwan Bazar in Dhaka's Tejgaon area.
Deputy Commissioner of Tejgaon Police Biplab Sarker told the Bangla Tribune that there are two aspects of the security for the Indian prime minister in Dhaka – his movement and the venue.
The Indian security forces would ensure his physical security while Bangladesh forces are to ensure security in his movement and the venue, the police official said.
Security team members of Bangladesh and India are ensuring the security of the Prime Minister of India through exchanging time-to-time coordination and the exchange of information. Security experts of both sides considered Hotel Sonargaon the safest for him, he added.
According to Sonargaon Hotel authorities, previously the then Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh also stayed at the hotel during his visit to Dhaka on September 6 and 7 in 2011, and the then US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton also stayed here during her visit to Dhaka on May 5 and 6, 2012.
A senior police officer concern with security for Modi during his visit to Bangladesh, said we suggested two places for him, on the one hand, the state guesthouse Jamuna and on the other, the Sonargaon Hotel.
The hotel is of the highest standard of security considering the security arrangement because foreign heads of state, heads of government and high-profile personalities holding positions at the international level also stayed here earlier, he said.
This hotel has developed security arrangements with establishments, strength and technology, while Jamuna would have to be upgraded to make it prepared for his stay. Also the location of Sonargaon Hotel is convenient in terms of communication and strategic considerations.
India's special commando force "Black Cat" is always around Narendra Modi to provide him security. He is moving in the bulletproof car brought from India for his movement in Dhaka, Members of Special Protection Group (SPG) of India were also deployed to ensure his security.
Deputy Police Commissioner Biplab Sarkar said during the movement of the Indian prime minister, the security team members of India are constantly with the security team members of Bangladesh. The Indian team is carrying out the main security duties inside the hotel.
The total number of hotel suites and rooms is 277, in all of which, Modi and his entourage, security team members and the journalists are staying now.
After the date of Modi's visit to Dhaka was finalised, room booking was not taken for June 6 and 7. Hotel booking has stopped for other programmes or events also, and inside hotel high security is also being maintained.
Sonargaon Hotel Public Relations Officer Azim said all of our suits were booked, so we didn't have any chance for bookings in these two days.
