No scope for ballot snatching in upcoming polls: Home adviser
At least five armed police personnel will be stationed at each centre, he says
There is no possibility of ballot snatching from polling stations in the upcoming national election, as around nine lakh members from law enforcement agencies will be deployed ahead of the polls, Home Adviser Lieutenant General (Retd) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury said today (22 January).
Speaking at the quarterly crime review and views exchange meeting organised by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) at its Malibagh headquarters, he expressed confidence that the election would be the most free, fair, transparent, impartial, peaceful, and festive in Bangladesh's history, setting an example for the future.
"Achieving this goal requires absolute honesty, neutrality, and professionalism from all officials and law enforcement agencies involved," he said.
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Two-phase deployment, stronger presence at polling stations
The home adviser said security deployment will occur in two phases. "Personnel already in place during the first phase will remain stationed, while a second, vote-centric deployment will run from 8 to 14 February to maintain law and order nationwide."
Unlike previous elections, where only one armed police member was assigned per polling station, he said at least five armed personnel will be stationed at each centre, including two police and three armed Ansar members.
At key polling stations, six armed personnel – including three police – will be deployed. Additionally, 10 unarmed Ansar members, six male and four female, equipped with sticks, will be assigned to each polling station.
Modern security measures
Highlighting new initiatives, the adviser said the election will, for the first time, feature specialised training for law enforcement personnel, body-worn cameras, CCTV surveillance, drone deployment, and dog squads.
He also noted that expatriate voters, government officials, election-duty personnel, and law enforcement members will be able to cast their votes through the "Postal Vote BD" app.
The programme was presided over by CID Chief and Additional IGP Md Sibgat Ullah, with Inspector General of Police (IGP) Baharul Alam attending as the special guest.
