British firm Redline Assured Security, hired last month to supervise security at Dhaka airport, began work at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on a host of security-related issues, including helping the authorities redesign airport security arrangement. The government signed a Tk 75.25 crore ‘unsolicited’ deal with the British firm for two years on March 21 to impart training to the existing manpower and monitor screening at cargo and other places at the airport. On March 8, United Kingdom imposed restrictions on allowing cargo on direct flights from Dhaka until further notice. In a meeting at the Prime Minister’s Office at Tejgaon on March 13, the British high commission in Dhaka recommended appointment of a private security firm, from among four, for enhancing security at the airport. Civil aviation authorities selected Redline to provide security screeners, train Bangladeshi personnel and supervise security at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport. At least 30 personnel, mostly British, have already been deployed at HSIA, according to the civil aviation ministry. Following the agreement, the civil aviation and tourism minister Rashed Khan Menon had said the British firm would engage aviation security experts at the Dhaka airport but did not elaborate on their jurisdiction at the airport. A document relating to their appointment shows that in three phases —immediate, short and mid— the British firm will have jurisdiction over a wide range of security arrangement at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport over the next two years. Under the immediate term, Redline will deploy an airport security director to assist the airport director for ‘overall management of security functions at the airport.’ MK Zakir Hassan, the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport director, told New Age on Saturday that Redline in on the process of appointing an ‘airport security director’ within two months, but temporarily one of the local officials is working on their behalf. He said Redline has already started re-evaluating airport design. In the immediate term spanning 60 days, the firm will address the most critical aspects of aviation security. Under the short term spanning three months to six months, Redline will train the Bangladesh supervisors and screeners on apron security, staff screening and guarding cargo, control of access and in-flight supplies. During the term, Redline will provide training to Bangladeshi operational managers to develop competence and will start replacing Redline’s personnel with Bangladeshi personnel. In the mid-term, Redline will assist CAAB in developing quality control regime and a pool of inspectors. During the last six months, Redline will assist in redesigning airport infrastructure for implementation of the security plan and programme. The document, which New Age went through, also read that Redline will assist Bangladesh to review the existing security equipment and make recommendations for new equipment to meet ‘international standards.’ Jim Termini, the commercial director of the British firm, recently told the media that they would provide a wide range of aviation security services to CAAB that will both optimise the current arrangements, and re-focus the security provision at HSIA to the expectations of the international aviation community. The government have appointed British firm as part of efforts to have the recent restrictions on direct cargo flight between Dhaka and London lifted. Asked, the civil aviation minister, Menon, could not specify when the ban would be lifted but said ‘if there is no political motivation then the ban will be lifted soon.’ The British firm is active in more than 25 countries, providing security at more than 40 international airports and also works for different security and law enforcing agencies.
