State Minister for Home Affairs Lutfozzaman Babar said, "We're not giving them the permission because they lack credibility and people's trust." "The security agencies themselves were involved in a number of robbery incidents," he added.

He was speaking to reporters after finalising Private Security Service Rules in a meeting at the home ministry yesterday.

According to the rules, the private agencies will have to hire armed members of Ansar if they need firearms to protect their clients.

The rules, finalised about six months after passing of the Private Security Service Act, are likely to be enacted next week after vetting by the law ministry.

All private security agencies will have to have licence from the government after the enactment of the rules. Each agency will have to pay the government Tk 2 lakh as licence fees and Tk 5 lakh refundable security deposit. Besides, they will have to renew their licence every two years paying a Tk 50,000 renewal fee.

The agencies will have to get government approval of their uniform, which cannot resemble those of government forces like police, army, navy, air force, Rab or Ansars.

The government has decided to provide security members with a 28-day training at the Ansar Academy since private security members are not well trained and in some cases oblivious to security threats.

"We've prepared a training module for them and the training has been made mandatory to them," Babar said. The directors of security agencies will have to be citizens of Bangladesh, he added.

According to the new rules, a security member must pass at least class nine to join a security agency and will get minimum Tk 2,700 as monthly salary.

The meeting decided that punitive actions could be taken against the security agencies and their members if they commit any crimes. "There is also a provision of cancelling their licences," Babar told reporters.

On allowing members of the security agencies to carry firearms Babar said, "If they can improve their quality of service and earn people's trust, we can reconsider about rearming them."

The state minister said since the security agencies may require armed protection for their clients like in banks, insurance and other financial institutes or during transferring large amount of money, they can apply for Ansars to the director general of Bangladesh Ansar for Ansar men.

He said the government might even allow private investigation agencies to operate in future if they can earn their credibility.

The home secretary, inspector general of police, representatives of private security agencies' association and other officials concerned were present at the meeting.