For personal safety, many people have bodyguards, some get as per government protocol whereas others need to apply to get personal security.
Top government officials plus high ranking officers of defence forces get bodyguards as per protocol. Many industrialists, celebrities can also keep bodyguards, following government rule.
But to keep a bodyguard, certain rules need to be followed.
Police HQ informs that currently, 292 VIPs are given personal bodyguard facility.
Most of the bodyguards are members of the police. Let’s look at a hypothetical scenario on getting a bodyguard. Mr. Rahim is a noted industrialist and has wealth. One day, he receives a death threat and to ensure security, appoints a bodyguard after giving an advert in the paper.
On the other hand, take Mr. Mamun who is a Professor with progressive ideals. One day, he gets a death threat but does not have the monetary support enjoyed by Mr. Rahim.
Will this mean that he won’t be able to hire a bodyguard?
As per the rules of the country, a gun carrying bodyguard cannot be kept without permission. The state will want all information about the person who carries the weapon. Therefore, any person wanting a personal guard will have to apply to the home ministry.
For Professor Mamun, the best course of action is to apply to the government for help.
A police HQ official says: “a person can be given a gun carrying personal bodyguard if that person can convince the authority of his/her needs.”
Many businessmen are given several gun licenses and specific people are given approval to carry or operate the weapons.
A police official says: “if a noted citizen feels threatened then s/he can apply to the home ministry, which will then carry out threat assessment. This will include determining the citizen’s social status and evaluating the threat level.”
If a wealthy person is under threat, that person’s income tax record will be evaluated along with other issues.
Police deputy commissioner, Masudur Rahman, says: “for any citizen, an application is necessary; however, if the government feels, it can provide security without an application.”
Faced with threat from militants, Professor Muhammad Zafar Iqbal, columnist Shahriar Kabor and others receive state security.
Once the police feels that the threat level has diminished, the gunman is withdrawn.
The bodyguard gunman is usually between the ranks of constable and sub inspector. The weapons are provided by the police and the persons are given special thirty day training.
Additional secretary of the home ministry, Md. Abu Bakar Siddiqui, told Bangla Tribune: “anyone can apply for a bodyguard following government rules; some wealthy people take licenced weapons and keep bodyguards.”
Dhaka district administrator, Saleh Mohammad Ferdous Khan, told Bangla Tribune: “we do not give licence to bodyguards but hand out retainer licence to the person applying for a weapon.”
Retainer licence means that the person applying for the licence will not use the gun but the person working as his/her bodyguard will.
The retainer licences are given regularly, he added.