Govt takes nine decisions to tighten security at Secretariat
Bangladesh Moves to Strengthen Secretariat Security With Nine New Measures
Bdbusinessdaily.com – The government has approved a nine-point plan aimed at tightening security inside the Bangladesh Secretariat, with new controls covering vehicle access, visitor entry, overnight presence and monitoring of foreign guests.
The measures were finalised at a high-level meeting on 4 October chaired by Cabinet Secretary Nasimul Ghani. Relevant secretaries and the Inspector General of Police attended the discussion. Meeting records made available on 12 October outlined the decisions, which place greater emphasis on regulating who enters the Secretariat, how long they remain there and where vehicles can move or park.
Stricter Rules for Vehicles and Parking
Police assigned to the Secretariat will be expected to monitor whether rules governing vehicle entry, internal movement and parking are being followed. They will also be required to act when violations are identified.
A dedicated parking-sticker arrangement will be introduced as part of the security plan. Vehicles without approved stickers will not be permitted to stay or park within the Secretariat compound. The system is intended to make vehicle management more orderly while allowing security personnel to identify authorised vehicles more easily.
The Secretariat is a key administrative centre where ministries and senior government offices operate. As a result, controls over traffic inside the compound can affect both daily office activity and the ability of security staff to respond to unusual movement.
Access Controls for Buildings and Visitors
The Ministry of Housing and Public Works has been asked to take steps to install separate access-control systems at Building No. 1 and other Secretariat buildings. These systems are expected to verify and regulate the movement of approved officials, employees and other authorised individuals.
Police will also regularly observe and supervise visitors after they enter the premises. The new approach combines gate-level screening with oversight inside the compound, rather than treating entry approval as the only security step.
Visitor access will be restricted in the morning. Under the new decision, no visitor will be allowed to enter the Secretariat before 12 noon.
Limits on Visitor Passes
The plan establishes maximum numbers of visitor passes that can be issued by senior government figures. Ministers, state ministers, deputy ministers, advisers and special assistants may each issue up to 10 passes.
The Cabinet Secretary, Principal Secretary, senior secretaries and secretaries will be able to issue a maximum of five passes each. Additional secretaries will be permitted to issue three visitor passes, while joint secretaries will have a limit of two.
Setting numerical limits is intended to make the visitor-pass process more controlled and traceable. It also creates a clearer distinction between officials with different levels of authority when approving access to the government complex.
Separate Registration for Foreign Guests
Foreign visitors will be covered by a separate registration procedure. Their identities, reasons for visiting, the relevant officials or offices involved, and their arrival and departure information must be accurately recorded and retained.
This requirement will give authorities a more complete record of visits by foreign nationals and make it easier to verify who hosted or received them. It also places responsibility on the offices connected to such visits to ensure entry details are properly documented.
Nighttime Presence Requires Approval
Officials, employees and unauthorised individuals will not be allowed to remain at the Secretariat overnight without advance approval from the appropriate authority. Anyone who needs to stay for a special reason must obtain permission beforehand.
The rule is designed to ensure that security personnel know who is present after normal office hours and why. It also removes the possibility of informal overnight stays inside the compound without a documented authorisation process.
Passes to Expire After Transfers
Permanent access passes issued to government officials and employees will automatically lose validity seven days after their transfer orders become effective. The provision addresses a common access-control issue: ensuring that credentials linked to a previous workplace do not remain valid indefinitely after an officer moves to a new posting.
By tying pass validity to the implementation of transfer orders, the government has set a defined timeframe for updating access privileges. The measure will require institutions to keep personnel and security records aligned when staff members change assignments.
Rules for MPs Arriving in Personal Vehicles
Members of Parliament who enter the Secretariat in their personal vehicles will be allowed to bring only their personal officers and drivers. Before entry is approved, authorities must properly verify both their identities and their authorisation.
The restriction narrows the number of accompanying individuals who may enter with an MP’s vehicle and reinforces the wider objective of limiting unverified access to the compound.
A More Documented Security Framework
Together, the nine decisions create a more structured framework for managing the Secretariat’s daily security environment. Vehicle stickers, building-level access systems, visitor-pass ceilings, foreign-visitor registers and time-bound employee passes all rely on clearer records and closer monitoring.
The measures also assign important roles to the police and the Ministry of Housing and Public Works. Police will monitor compliance involving vehicles and visitors, while the ministry will move forward with access-control installations in Building No. 1 and other Secretariat facilities.
For officials and visitors, the practical effect will be a more formal entry process. Visitors will need to observe the midday entry restriction and secure passes through the authorised system, while employees and offices will need to keep access credentials and transfer-related records current. Foreign guests and those seeking to remain overnight will face additional documentation and approval requirements.
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