Fearing attacks by terrorists, India has proposed to Bangladesh to put sky marshals on all Dhaka-bound flights and to post its own forces to man security in its mission in Dhaka, which authorities say they are "actively examining".
The proposals are part of new measures India is contemplating in all its missions in neighbouring countries and flights to all these destinations.
"We are examining the nitty-gritty of both the proposals for deployment sky marshals in Indian planes en-route to Bangladesh and their own security personnel at the Indian High Commission in Dhaka," Foreign Secretary Mohamed Mijarul Quayes told mediapersons at a briefing in Dhaka late on Sunday night.
He said "we expect" to let India know about the decisions soon, which follow a universal practise to ensure security of aircraft and foreign missions.
Mohamed Mijarul Quayes made it clear that the Indian security personnel would stay within the perimeters of the Indian High Commission.
New Delhi has similar security dragnet manned by Indo Tibetan Border Police commandos in its mission in Kabul. He said a high-level Indian delegation would soon visit Dhaka for further talks on these proposals.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh Civil Aviation Secretary Shafique Alam Mehdi told PTI that the home ministry was examining the proposal for appointment of armed sky marshals onboard Indian civilian planes.
Civil aviation officials said that Dhaka might also request India to allow sky marshal for Biman Bangladesh Airlines flights to India. The comments came days after main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party chief Khaleda Zia strongly opposed the idea of allowing Indian security personnel in Bangladesh claiming that the step would endanger the country's "sovereignty".
Zia said no foreign missions in Dhaka had ever proposed to bring their own security personnel for guarding their missions while the proposal to bring sky marshal security for Dhaka airport would create "further disaster" for the country.
"Moves are now on to push the country towards the situation like Afghanistan and Iraq," she alleged.
