Members of law enforcement agencies, including the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), were deployed across the country on Friday for the upcoming national election with a view to holding the polls in a free, fair and peaceful manner.
Law enforcers will perform their duties across the country, including the capital, for 13 days from Friday to January 10 to assist the civil administration before and after the 12th parliamentary polls slated for January 7.
Members of the armed forces already started going to the camps across the country on Friday. They will be deployed in the field from January 3. They will serve as mobile team and striking force for eight days till January 10.
Around 7.5 lakh members of law enforcement agencies will be in the field during the election., according to Election Commission (EC). Of them, 5.16 lakh Ansar-VDP members, 1.82 lakh police and RAB personnel, 2,355 Coast Guard officials and 46, 876 BGB men have been deployed.
In the last two months, BNP, Jamaat and like-minded parties enforced five rounds of hartal and blockade for 23 days in 12 phases. BNP-Jamaat arsonists set fire to hundreds of vehicles in different parts of the country during the period. People have heaved a sigh of relief with the deployment of members of the law enforcement agencies, including the Boarder Guard Bangladesh (BGB), ahead the national election.
EC sources said there are more than 42,000 polling stations across the country. The total number of voters stand at around 12 crore. Fifteen to 17 security personnel will be deployed at each polling station.
Commander Khandaker Al Moin, director of the legal and media wing of RAB, said RAB is conducting operations to recover illegal firearms in different districts, including Chattogram, Coxs Bazar, Tangail to prevent poll violence. They are on the hunt for the identified terrorists. RAB will be in the field as a striking force during the election and post-election period.
The EC and law enforcement agencies have undertaken a three-phase plan for the security of the voters during the election. Security plan has been arranged in three phases few days before the polls, the polling day and few days after the polls.
Days before the polls, they will work to prevent violence against candidates and their supporters. On the voting day, security panels will surround the election officials, ballot boxes, electoral equipment and polling stations. The post-poll plan includes preventing conflict between candidates.
Shariful Islam, public relations officer (PRO) at BGB headquarters, said “A total of 1,151 platoons of BGB have been deployed across the country, including 32 in the capital and adjacent districts, to maintain law and order ahead of national polls.”
The BGB will work as a mobile team and striking force to maintain peace in the polling areas from December 29, 2023 to 10 January 2024 under the ‘In Aid to the Civil Power’ initiative to support the local administration, he added.
A circular issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs said 15 to 17 members of different law enforcement agencies will be kept engaged in each polling station. The armed forces will assist the local civil administration. For 13 days before and after the polls, law enforcers and members of armed forces will act as ‘mobile teams and striking forces’.
Ansar-VDP members will serve as a supporting force in mobile teams with the police. Security personnel, including Ansar-VDP members will be deployed at the polling station for five days, it said.
The circular also says microbuses, pickup vans, trucks, launches and engine-powered boats will not be allowed to ply in any constituency from midnight on January 6 to midnight on January 7. No one can carry and display arms till January 9. Only emergency vehicles and those authorised by the EC will be allowed to run in the constituency. No rally, gathering and processions can be held during the 48 hours before and after the start of polling.
Lt Commander Khandaker Munif Taqi, media officer of the Coast Guard headquarters, said “BGB members have been deployed in 43 coastal unions to maintain peace and order and support civil administration with the aim to hold election in a free, fair, peaceful manner.”
