JS polls: Army, law enforcement agencies deployed from today

Members of the army and other law enforcement agencies are being deployed across the country from today ahead of the 13th Jatiya Sangsad Election and Referendum scheduled for February 12. The deployment will continue for seven days - four days before polling, on election day, and three days after - until February 14. Talking to the media, Election Commissioner Abdur Rahmanel Masud said that the army are already in the field and will now be formally deployed from today.

Mentioning that law enforcement agencies would begin deployment from today, four days ahead of the election, he said that their presence will continue for a total of seven days - covering the pre-election period, election day itself, and the three days following the polls. The commissioner explained that the law and order situation remains normal and the overall election environment is "completely good". 

Preparations are in full swing, with ballot boxes being dispatched to districts and returning officers receiving them, and now all are busy pinning upon polls, he added. Election Commission Secretariat Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed said the army will be deployed for seven days, Ansar for eight days, while police are already in place. 1,050 executive magistrates are being deployed, who will be in the field from February 8 to 14 and basically to conduct the mobile court, he said.

Besides, the deployment of judicial magistrates will be from February 8 to 14 and they will be in the field for these seven days, he added. In addition, the Electoral Inquiry and Adjudication Committee is already on the ground, said the EC Senior Secretary. He also said that the campaigning of political parties for the elections will end at 7:30 am on February 10, 48 hours before the voting in the elections.

Home Affairs Adviser Lt Gen Md. Jahangir Alam Chowdhury (Retd) earlier announced that about 900,000 law enforcement officers will be on duty, the highest number ever for a national election. He said at least five armed member of law enforcement agencies - two police and three Ansar - will be deployed at each polling station. However, six armed members of the law enforcement agencies, including three armed police, will be deployed at important polling stations, he added.

In addition, 10 unarmed Ansar members will be deployed at each polling station, including six male Ansar members and four female Ansar members. He highlighted that this election will be "the most free, transparent, impartial, peaceful and festive" in Bangladesh's history, serving as a role model. He urged all officials and law enforcement agencies to perform their duties with complete honesty, impartiality, and professionalism. Law enforcement deployment will take place in two phases, with the second phase focused on election-day duties from February 8 to 14.