Eight lakh law enforcers for 8-day national polls duty proposed: EC secretary

Proposals have been made to deploy around eight lakh law enforcement officials for eight days centring the upcoming National Election, Election Commission Secretary Akhtar Ahmed said today (20 October).

Speaking to reporters after a preparatory meeting on law and order held at the EC headquarters, the secretary said, "Initially, the Election Commission planned to keep law enforcement deployed for five days during the election. However, it was proposed to extend that to eight days during today's meeting. This proposal will now be reviewed."

"There is certainly an environment conducive to holding the election. Around 90,000 to 100,000 members of the Army, 150,000 police personnel, and approximately 550,000 Ansar members will be deployed for election duties," said the EC secretary.

EC holds closed-door meeting with law enforcement agencies, armed forces on February polls

He added that final decisions on deployment duration and logistics will depend on the election budget.

When asked about the overall security situation, EC Secretary Akhtar Ahmed said law enforcement officials had not expressed any concern and that the security environment remains satisfactory.

Regarding the recovery of stolen weapons, he said 85% of the looted arms have been recovered, and efforts are ongoing to recover the remaining ones.

The 13th national election is expected to be held in the first half of February, before Ramadan, while the election schedule will be announced in early December.

In the 12th national election, the armed forces were deployed for eight days, with an additional five days allotted for travel and coordination. In the 11th parliamentary polls, law enforcement personnel had been deployed for 10 days.

Ahead of the upcoming National Election, the Election Commission (EC), led by AMM Nasir Uddin, held a meeting with various law enforcement agencies to finalise security strategies and discuss measures to ensure a free, fair, and peaceful voting environment.

The meeting was chaired by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin and attended by four election commissioners, the home secretary, and representatives from various law enforcement agencies.

EC not concerned about law and order ahead of polls

Expressing confidence in the prevailing law and order situation, the EC secretary said, "No concerns were raised regarding law and order for the upcoming elections." 

He described today's meeting with law enforcement agencies as the first in a series of consultations. 

"Today was just the beginning. We will continue to fine-tune matters step by step, individually or jointly, to ensure a free and fair election. Everyone is committed to holding a credible election that the nation expects," he added.

He further said, "Our concerns were limited to the issues we intended to discuss. The agencies were well aware of them and provided insights based on their experience."

When asked whether law enforcement officials perceived any risk to the election, the EC secretary responded, "The election period falls under the EC's jurisdiction from the schedule announcement to gazette publication. That was the scope of today's discussion. There was no opportunity to address other matters, and we did not do so."

Akhtar Ahmed added that he saw no concern within the law enforcement agencies, only commitment to a smooth and credible election. "There is a conducive environment for voting. Today's discussion was aimed at consolidating that, and discussions will continue."

When asked if it is possible to hold election in February following concerns expressed by political parties about the prevailing situation, including recent fire incidents, he said the matter was not discussed in today's meeting. 

"Today's meeting was purely preparatory, focused on ensuring a fair and smooth election. No other issues were raised," he said.

Law enforcement to act in three phases

The meeting reviewed the law enforcement action plan, which will be implemented in three phases — before, during, and after the election — to maintain order and prevent violence.

Before the election schedule is announced, the home ministry will take measures to maintain law and order. Authorities will act against identified criminals, terrorists, and potential troublemakers who could disrupt the electoral process. Additional efforts will be made to recover illegal weapons and preserve communal harmony.

After the announcement of the election schedule and until polling day, ensuring peaceful campaigning and voter safety will be the top priority. Law enforcement agencies will take steps to ensure that candidates can campaign freely and voters can cast their ballots without fear, said the EC secretary.

Security forces will also prevent the entry of suspicious outsiders into polling areas. Police, Ansar, and village police will be deployed for polling center security, while RAB, BGB, Armed Police Battalion, Coast Guard, and striking forces under judicial and executive magistrates will patrol and respond to emergencies.

The EC said that all agencies will work under a comprehensive coordination framework to ensure that the upcoming general election is peaceful, credible, and participatory.

Security, logistics, and monitoring

Secretary Akhtar Ahmed said today's discussions centred on polling centre management, polling officers, and the overall security of electoral areas across the country.

"The issues we discussed include the quantitative assessment and security of polling centres, coordination among law enforcement personnel at the field level within the stipulated timeframe, and the prevention and control of illegal arms," he said.

He added that the meeting also addressed measures to control the misuse of legal arms, prevent the spread of misinformation through social media using AI technology, and ensure coordination with foreign journalists and observer organisations regarding their safety and activities.

Other topics discussed included postal voting management, controlling illegal infiltration and black money, strengthening coordination among election offices at regional, district, and upazila levels, and ensuring safe transport of election materials in remote hilly areas, including by helicopter where necessary.

Drones will not be permitted for election campaigning, the secretary said, though law enforcement agencies will be allowed to use them for monitoring and security purposes.