12th JS poll Record number of forces to be deployed
Noman Mosharef :
With a view to ensuring the upcoming 12thJatiya Sangsad (parliament) elections free, fair and participatory one, the government has approved to the deployment of about 7.5 lakh members of different law enforcement agencies in electoral field which is a record in the Bangladesh election history.
Such a huge number of law enforcers never performed duty during any election. In 11th parliamentary election about 6 lakh law enforce agencies personnel were on duty.
Of them, Police and RAB-1, 082, 91, BGB- 46, 876, Coast Guard- 2, 350, Ansar Battalion- 5, 00, 000 members will perform their duty in Election Day on January 7.
Moreover, Armed forces will remain deployed across the country for eight days from Wednesday to assist the local civil administration in holding a free, fair and peaceful election scheduled for 7 January 2024 as per Section 126 of the constitution’s “In Aid to the Civil Power”.
The armed forces will provide assistance to the Election Commission (EC) and local civil administration from 3 to 10 January countrywide to ensure peace and order before, during and after the election day, according to an Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) press release issued on Tuesday (2 January 2024).
Members of the armed forces will be stationed at nodal points and other convenient places in every district, upazila and metropolitan areas.
Upon request from the returning officers concerned and through coordination with stakeholders, the area-base deployment has been completed, said the ISPR.
Members of Bangladesh Army have been assigned in 62 districts while Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) alone will perform duty in 45 upazilas.
Moreover, the army in coordination with the BGB and Coast Guard will perform duty in 47 bordering upazilas and 4 coastal upazilas respectively.
The members of Bangladesh Navy will remain deployed in 19 coastal upazilas including in Bhola and Barguna districts.
Bangladesh Air Forces (BAF) will provide helicopter assistance to polling stations in the hilly remote areas.
Moreover, a sufficient number of helicopters of the BAF have been kept ready to provide electoral assistance.
A cell in coordination with several ministries, divisions, and representatives from the law enforcing agencies has been set up at the armed forces division, which will remain effective till January 10.
The armed forces have taken all-out preparations to provide necessary assistance to ensure peace and order centering the 12th national parliamentary election.
It was also said that a team of 15 to 17 security members will be posted at each of the polling stations in the 300 constituencies throughout the country.
According to a notification issued by the Election Commission, tighter security would be taken for vulnerable polling stations.
There are some 42,000 polling stations throughout the country and a total of 11,96,91,633 voters will have rights to cast their votes in the 12th general election.
The commission designed separate security plans for the polling stations located outside the metropolitan area and the stations located inside the metropolitan areas.
Outside the metropolitan areas, a team of 15-16 security personnel including two police with arms, one Ansar with arms, one Ansar with arms or stick, 10 Ansar with sticks, one or two village police members with sticks will protect each normal polling station.
But in case of each important polling station (which is considered as vulnerable stations), there will be a team of 16-17 security men including three police with arms.
Inside the metropolitan area, a 15-member security team consisting of three police members with arms, one Ansar with arms, another Ansar with arms or stick and 10 others Ansar members with sticks will ensure security for each polling station.
