The government has decided to deploy law enforcement and security forces for seven days before and after polling to ensure a free, fair, and peaceful 13th National Parliamentary Election.
The directive was announced in a circular issued on Wednesday by the Political-6 Wing of the Ministry of Home Affairs.
According to the circular, the second phase of election-related security operations—termed “poll-centric deployment”- will run from 8 to 14 February.
During this period, including travel time, members of the Armed Forces, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), Coast Guard, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), police, and Ansar battalions will remain deployed in election areas as mobile and striking forces to maintain law and order.
The Armed Forces-comprising the Army, Navy, and Air Force—will assist the civil administration throughout the deployment period. They will be stationed at designated nodal points across districts, upazilas, and metropolitan areas, carrying out patrols and operational duties as necessary.
BGB and RAB units will operate as mobile and striking forces and may use helicopters, drones, and dog squads if the situation demands.
For polling centre security, coordinated teams of police and Ansar personnel will be deployed at all general and important (risk-prone) centres.
Three armed police officers will be stationed at key polling centres outside metropolitan areas, while four will be deployed at important centres within metropolitan areas.
Village police, including dafadars, will be assigned to each polling centre for seven days, while subsidiary Village Defence Party (VDP) members will be engaged for a total of eight days, including training.
The circular also outlined several restrictions aimed at maintaining order. Joint forces will conduct special drives before, during, and after polling to recover illegal firearms and arrest criminals.
Motorcycle movement will be banned from midnight on 10 February to midnight on 13 February, while the movement of taxicabs, microbuses, and trucks will be restricted from midnight on 11 February to midnight on 12 February.
In addition, carrying and displaying licensed firearms will remain prohibited until 14 February.
To ensure round-the-clock oversight, a special “Law and order situation monitoring cell” will remain operational from 10 to 14 February at the Election Commission Secretariat and the offices of returning officers, the circular added.
