60,000 troops to be deployed in next nat’l polls
Staff Reporter :
A total of 60,000 members of the Bangladesh Army will be deployed across the country to help maintain law and order during the next national election period, as per the government decision.
Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam said it on Monday saying the government also has decided to hold a comprehensive three-month training programme for 1.5 lakh police personnel on election-related duties will begin in September.
The meeting, held earlier in the day, brought together advisers, senior government officials, and representatives from various law enforcement and security forces, including the army and police, to assess the country’s readiness for the national polls.
Speaking to the media at the Foreign Service Academy after the meeting, Shafiqul said the inspector general of police informed participants that the training programme for police personnel will span the months of September, October, and November, focusing on specialised election duties.
The meeting underscored the need for enhanced coordination among the police, army, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), and local administration to ensure a smooth and peaceful electoral process.
“Emphasis was placed on improving coordination both at the local and national levels,” the press secretary said.
Shafiqul also highlighted concerns over the growing spread of misinformation ahead of the polls, noting that this trend is likely to intensify in the coming days.
To address this issue, plans are underway to establish a National Information Centre. “This matter was discussed in detail,” he said, adding that the centre will be tasked with identifying and countering false information while also ensuring the rapid dissemination of accurate election-related updates.
He said the centre will also conduct daily press briefings to share real-time updates on election incidents and the status of various regions. “This will enable quicker communication and better situational awareness,” he said.
Shafiqul noted that many positive efforts by the police often go unreported, and the new media centre will help highlight these initiatives to the public.
Deputy Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad Majumder said the Chief Adviser has instructed law enforcement agencies to identify potential election hotspots. Based on this identification, specific pre-election measures will be recommended in advance.
“Situation reports from district levels will be regularly sent to the centre, allowing real-time monitoring and timely intervention where necessary,” Azad added.
He also said the meeting discussed possible administrative reshuffles in detail, focusing on procedures and specific areas that may see changes ahead of the elections.
Earlier, on 26 July, Chief Adviser Yunus met with leaders of 14 political parties and announced that the election date and roadmap would be disclosed within the next four to five days.
At a previous meeting on 9 July, the CA directed police, BGB, Ansar, and VDP to complete all preparations for the national election by December 2024.
Following that meeting, Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam told reporters that two potential timeframes for the election were discussed: the first half of April or a date before the start of Ramadan-provided that preparations and required reforms are completed in time.
Key decisions from that earlier meeting included recruiting 17,000 personnel across various forces and deploying around 8,00,000 security personnel on election day. This includes 5.70 lakh Ansar members, 1.41 lakh police officers, and additional forces from BGB, Coast Guard, and others.
To ensure a peaceful and impartial election, law enforcement agencies will receive intensive training, focusing on neutrality and conflict-free election-day conduct.
Shafiqul Alam reaffirmed that special emphasis will be placed on preparing all security forces to uphold peace, fairness, and public confidence throughout the electoral process.