The government has formed a high-powered 11-member National Security Coordination Committee, headed by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, to bolster intelligence surveillance and ensure social stability across the country.
The Cabinet Division issued a notification regarding the formation of this influential committee on Thursday, stating that the order would take effect immediately. The move follows heightened concerns over potential mob violence and terrorist attacks, as well as the recent killing of a top underworld criminal.
Committee Composition Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed has been appointed as the Vice Chairman of the committee. Other members include the Prime Minister’s Defence Advisor, the Cabinet Secretary, the Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, and the Principal Staff Officer of the Armed Forces Division.
The committee also features the heads of major security and intelligence agencies, including the Inspector General of Police (IGP), the Director General of the Directorate General of Intelligence Forces (DGIAF), the Director General of the National Security Intelligence (NSI), the Director General of the National Telecommunication Monitoring Cell (NTMC), and the Director of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB).
In addition to the core 11 members, six further high-ranking officials are eligible to serve on the committee. These include the Additional Inspector General of Police (Special Branch), the Additional Inspector General of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), the Chief Officer of the Bangladesh Bank Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU), and the Chief Executive Officer of the National Security Cell under the Cabinet Division.
The Additional Commissioner of the Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) Unit and the Additional Commissioner of the Terrorism Unit also comprise this group.
The committee has been tasked with a broad mandate to safeguard national and socio-economic stability. Its primary responsibilities include defining the scope of critical security issues and formulating an integrated work plan to ensure public safety.
The body will be responsible for evaluating the country’s socio-economic stability and security environment to determine priority areas for intervention. It will further serve as a central authority to supervise inter-agency implementation of security measures.
The notification also empowers the committee to define the specific operational boundaries for various law enforcement agencies. Furthermore, the committee is authorised to review existing laws and regulations related to social stability and security, recommending necessary reforms, amendments, or the enactment of new legislation to address emerging threats.
