Redline gets security job for 2 years

British company Redline is going to be awarded the job of screening at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at Tk 73.98 crore for two years.

The cabinet committee on economic affairs and the cabinet committee on purchase approved a technical project proposal (TPP) yesterday, paving way for the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (Caab) to strike a deal with the company without any tender.

Earlier on Saturday, Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Rashed Khan Menon told journalists that the deal would be signed by today.

The company, Redline Aviation Security, will also train operators of all scanning machines, including the cargo x-ray machine, and provide consultancy on upgrading the airport's overall security to international standards.

According to a summery placed before the cabinet committee on purchase, the government had invited four British aviation security companies as recommended by the UK Department for Transport in a letter on March 13.

Two of the companies, Redline and Restrata, responded and their technical and financial proposals were evaluated. It was found that Restrata will not be able to provide necessary security services on emergency basis. But Redline's proposal fulfilled all the requirements.

The two other companies are G4S and Westminster Security Services.

Meanwhile, Rashed Khan Menon and top officials of the ministry and Caab had a meeting with British envoy Alison Blake and senior officials of the British High Commission at Kurmitola Golf Club yesterday afternoon.

The minister told the British delegation about the steps taken to ensure international security standards at Shahjalal, said an official of the civil aviation ministry.

On March 8, the UK government imposed a ban on direct cargo flights from Dhaka citing security concerns.

Besides, British Prime Minister David Cameron in a letter to her Bangladesh counterpart Sheikh Hasina called for a visible improvement of airport security by March 31 to avoid further measures like banning of Biman's direct passenger flights from Dhaka to London.

Against this backdrop, Alison Blake leading a UK delegation at a meeting with Bangladesh government representatives on March 13 suggested hiring a foreign company for security management at the airport.