BGB instructed to avoid lethal weapons during election duty
Officials said the deployment aims to ensure that voters can cast their ballots in a safe and uninterrupted environment.
The Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has been instructed not to use lethal weapons while performing security duties during the upcoming national election and the referendum, senior officials said.
More than 37,000 BGB members will be deployed across the country to help maintain law and order during the polls, while continuing to safeguard Bangladesh's 4,427-kilometre border, according to sources at BGB headquarters.
Officials said the deployment aims to ensure that voters can cast their ballots in a safe and uninterrupted environment.
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The BGB will take part in election-related duties in 489 of the country's 495 upazilas. In 61 upazilas located along the border, the force will independently manage election security.
Based on risk assessments, BGB personnel will be deployed as both mobile and static units across all 300 parliamentary constituencies, with two to four platoons assigned to each upazila.
To respond to emergencies during the election period, specialised units—including the Rapid Action Team (RAT), helicopter-supported Quick Response Force (QRF), and K-9 dog squads—will remain on standby.
Speaking to reporters today (31 January) at the National Swimming Complex in Mirpur, Dhaka Sector Commander of BGB Colonel ASM Abul Ehsan said a clear directive from the BGB director general prohibits the use of lethal weapons during election duties.
Addressing concerns over border security, Colonel Ehsan said the deployment plan had been designed to ensure election responsibilities are met without weakening border protection.
He said sufficient personnel would remain stationed in sensitive areas, including along the Bangladesh–Myanmar border, to safeguard national sovereignty.
Colonel Ehsan added that the BGB would coordinate closely with other law enforcement agencies and local election officials to ensure security coverage in remote and char areas, so that no location remains unattended.
Asked about the overall preparedness, he said the objective was to prevent any attempt to exploit vulnerabilities and create instability, expressing hope that the election would be held peacefully and fairly.
He also said he was not aware of any specific threat surrounding the polls and that BGB members had received adequate training to maintain law and order while using minimal force.
