The civil aviation authority is facing predicament when VIPs are showing a lax attitude in adhering to security measures. In some cases, VIPs misbehave with security people at the airport while some have even assaulted security personnel.

Many VIPs reportedly deem security requests impudent and a crime.

After the attempted hijacking of a Biman Bangladesh Airline and the entry into the domestic terminal by a film actor with a licenced gun, security measures have been ramped up.

However, there have been instances when VIPs did not declare their licenced weapons at the airport.

A security person says: “We do not have any problem with general passengers and they cooperate but the influential people are not only uncooperative but also create a threat to security.”

Reportedly, some even use abusive language at the security people while many want to enter with too many party people, creating a security threat.

Some government officials demand more facilities than they are entitled to and handling them becomes tough, say security officials.

Reportedly, on Apr 3, deputy commissioner of DB Rajshahi, Abu Ahmad Al Mamun, boarded a plane and when this was found out and protested by security people, a fracas ensues which led to fisticuffs.

Later, when the airport authority did not give permission for the plane to take off, Mamun disembarked and underwent the security check.

Earlier, in March 2018, secretary of the department of public security, Mostafa Kamaluddin, also lost his temper when Ansar members wanted to check his bag after metal object was detected in a scanner.

A civil aviation security person, says: “Powerful people never pack their bags; it’s done by domestic workers and inserting something harmful by them is always a possibility.”

Therefore, for their own safety, a VIP should undergo security checks, added the security official.

Meanwhile, the parliamentary committee for civil aviation and tourism has suggested a separate security checking line for VIPs. There was also a recommendation to relax the rules for influential people.

However, Transparency International Bangladesh, TIB, has said that asking regulations to be relaxed for VIPs is discriminatory.

State minister for civil aviation and tourism, Md. Mahbub Ali, says: “When it comes to security, no one is above the law or suspicion.”

The parliamentary committee has made a recommendation which we will raise before the PM and then a decision will be taken, he added.