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Special security for Hasina scrapped

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Staff Reporter :

The interim government on Thursday decided to amend the Special Security Force Act 2021, effectively lifting the special security provisions for deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her close relatives.

The decision was made during a meeting of the Advisory Council at the Chief Adviser’s office, chaired by Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus.

The Chief Adviser’s Office (CAO) released a statement following the meeting, noting that the interim government was formed on August 8, 2024, in response to a mass uprising led by students and the general public.

The statement emphasized that in light of the current circumstances, it was no longer feasible to maintain the special security provisions under the existing law, which pertained to the family of the ‘Father of the Nation’ Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

The statement further explained that the formation of the new interim government necessitated security measures for the Chief Adviser, rather than for the former prime minister and her family.

Consequently, the council unanimously agreed to amend the Special Security Force (SSF) Act, 2021.

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The Advisory Council also gave final approval to the draft of the ‘Security of Family Members of the Father of the Nation (Repeal) Ordinance, 2024,’ pending vetting by the Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs Division.

Speaking to journalists after the meeting, Advisory Council member Syeda Rizwana Hasan stated, “The interim government is the the outcome of an anti-discrimination movement.”

Rizwana Hasan, who is also the adviser for Environment, Forest, and Climate Change ministry affairs, said the council decided to amend the law, considering it “discriminatory.”

The original law, enacted during Sheikh Hasina’s regime in 2009, provided extensive security and facilities for the family members of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. A gazette was published in 2015 formalizing these provisions.

However, the interim government deemed these measures discriminatory, as they were designed to benefit only one family at the expense of the state’s treasury.

Rizwana Hasan concluded by saying that with the establishment of the interim government, it has taken steps to eliminate such disparities, reflecting its commitment to fairness and equality.

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