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The government has introduced nine measures to strengthen security at the Bangladesh Secretariat, tightening controls on vehicle movement, visitor access, entry passes and building security.
The decisions were taken at a high-level meeting on October 4, chaired by Cabinet Secretary Nasimul Ghani. Relevant secretaries and the Inspector General of Police attended the meeting, according to its minutes made available on Monday.
Under the new measures, police will regularly monitor vehicle entry, movement and parking inside the Secretariat and take action against violations. A special parking sticker system will also be introduced, prohibiting vehicles without authorised stickers from parking or remaining within the premises.
Police will step up supervision of visitors, while the Ministry of Housing and Public Works will establish separate access control systems at Building No. 1 and other buildings to regulate entry by authorised officials, employees and visitors.
Officials, employees and other individuals will not be allowed to remain inside the Secretariat overnight without prior approval from the relevant authorities.
Anyone requiring an overnight stay for special reasons must obtain permission in advance.
A separate registration system will be introduced for foreign visitors, with their identities, purposes of visits, relevant officials or offices, and entry and exit details properly recorded and preserved.
The government has also set limits on the number of visitor passes that senior officials can issue. Ministers, state ministers, deputy ministers, advisers and special assistants will each be allowed to issue up to 10 passes.
The Cabinet Secretary, Principal Secretary and other senior secretaries and secretaries will be permitted to issue up to five passes each. Additional secretaries may issue three passes, while joint secretaries will be allowed two.
No visitor will be permitted to enter the Secretariat before noon.
Permanent entry passes issued to officials and employees will automatically become invalid seven days after their transfer orders take effect.
The decisions also restrict members of parliament entering the Secretariat in their personal vehicles to bringing only their personal officers and drivers. Their identities and authorisation must be verified before entry is granted.
The measures are intended to strengthen access control, improve vehicle management and ensure closer monitoring of people entering and staying within the government’s central administrative complex.