Alongside 7.5 lakh personnel from different law-enforcement and security agencies, the Election Commission (EC) wants to deploy Army across the country as the striking forces for 13 days from December 29 to January 10 centring the 12th Jatiya Sangsad (JS) election slated for January 7, 2024.
In view of holding the JS polls free and fair, the EC high-ups, including Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal, discussed the matter during a meeting with the high-ups of the Ministry of Defense and the Armed Forces Division (AFD) on Monday evening at the EC Headquarters.
According to sources, Defence Secretary, Secretary of the Public Security Department and Principal Staff Officers (PSO) of the AFD, among others, were present at the meeting.
After the meeting, Lt Gen Waker-uz-Zaman, PSO of the AFD, and EC Secretary Md Zahangr together briefed the media on Monday night.
PSO Lt Gen Waker-uz-Zaman said “At the meeting, the EC expressed its desire regarding the Army deployment from December 29 to January 10 centring the JS polls and the CEC will inform the matter to the President of Bangladesh.
“If the President wants, the Armed forces will be deployed and we (AFD) will provide all out supports to the EC”, said PSO Lt Gen Waker-uz-Zaman.
It should be mentioned that Armed forces personnel had been deployed during the ninth JS polls in 2008 while the Army personnel had been deployed during the 10th JS polls in 2014 and 11th JS polls in 2018 as the striking forces.
Sources said, the Army personnel would be deployed with the magistracy power.
“If the Armed Forces personnel are deployed, they would act as per the provision of the ‘Aid to the Civil Power’ of the AFD”, said PSO Lt Gen Waker-uz-Zaman.
Meanwhile, the EC earlier has decided to engage 7.5 lakh personnel from different law-enforcement and security agencies. Of the 1,82,091 personnel will be deployed from the Bangladesh Police and Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), 46,876 from the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), 5,16,000 from the Ansar and VDP and 2,350 from the Coast Guard.
Moreover, in view of ensuring the JS polls free and fair, the EC authorities have taken various other measures. The EC formed 300 Pre-election Judicial Enquiry Committee to maintain the electoral code of conduct and ensure safety and security to the candidates and voters.
Besides, 802 Executive Magistrates have been engaged for the same purpose.
The voting of the 12 Jatiya Sangsad (JS) polls will be held on January 7, 2024.
At least 30 political parties and independents are participating in the election.
The number of total voters in the country this year is 11,96,91,633 while the number of voting centres is 42,103.
