Joint forces drive to begin nationwide ahead of polls

Staff Reporter :

Election Commissioner Brigadier General (Retd) Abul Fazal Md Sanaullah said that joint forces operations would commence nationwide ahead of the upcoming general elections scheduled to be held in February 12.

He made the statement during a meeting organised by the District Administration in Cox’s Bazar on Sunday.

The Commissioner expressed confidence that a circular from the Ministry of Home Affairs would be issued by the end of the day, and shared key points from the circular during the meeting.

“The joint forces will begin their operations across the country, with coordination already established between the heads of all forces and the Election Commission.

Headquarters have been briefed on this matter,” said Commissioner Sanaullah.

The primary objectives of these operations will focus on three areas including the recovery of illegal arms, especially those which could be used for criminal activities during the election period.

“We aim to retrieve as many illegal weapons as possible, and ensure that those which can’t be recovered are not misused,” he added.

Secondly, the operation will focus on the identification and arrest of terrorists, bringing them under legal control.

Thirdly, the joint forces will monitor compliance with the code of conduct for election-related parties and candidates.

While minor violations will be handled by routine committees, any major deviations will be addressed by the joint forces.

The Commissioner also issued a warning concerning the Rohingya refugee camps, urging the law enforcement agencies to take heightened precautions.

“The camps must be sealed, and surveillance on both land borders and sea routes must be increased to prevent criminal activities,” he emphasised.

Sanaullah stressed the importance of holding a free and fair national election, warning that any failure in the process would have serious consequences for all involved.