Dhaka: Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus today instructed law enforcement agencies to finalize all preparations by December for the forthcoming parliamentary elections. This directive was issued during a meeting focused on the preparations of these agencies for the upcoming national polls, held at the State Guest House Jamuna.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam briefed reporters at the Foreign Service Academy regarding the outcomes of the meeting. Present at the briefing were Chief Adviser’s Deputy Press Secretaries Apurba Jahangir and Abul Kalam Azad Majumder, along with Senior Assistant Press Secretary Foyez Ahammad.
During the meeting, the Chief Adviser emphasized the necessity for every polling center to be equipped with CCTV coverage. It was revealed that eight lakh personnel from various law enforcement agencies will be deployed during the elections. Alam conveyed that the Chief Adviser urged the agencies to ensure all arrangements are in place by December.
The preparations will include the recruitment and training of approximately 17,000 new members in the police, Border Guard, and Coast Guard. The Chief Adviser highlighted potential threats to law and order and instructed the agencies to strictly enforce the law in the coming months.
Professor Yunus addressed the officials, questioning the sufficiency of manpower for the elections and prompting immediate recruitment and training if needed. He stressed the importance of clarifying roles and suggested a rehearsal election to ensure readiness.
The deployment strategy will involve eight lakh personnel, including 570,000 Ansar and 141,000 police members, all of whom must be trained by December. Discussions also considered setting up separate booths for voters aged 18-32.
Further deliberations touched on maintaining law and order before and after the election, with the possibility of deploying law enforcers for seven days during the election period. A reshuffle of key officials, such as DCs, SPs, OCs, and UNOs, is also planned to ensure impartiality.
Alam detailed the potential deployment of law enforcers as a striking force and acknowledged that around 16,000 polling centers might be at risk. The Chief Adviser has called for strategies to ensure peaceful elections at these locations.
Chief Adviser’s Deputy Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad Majumder mentioned discussions about excluding individuals who served as presiding officers and polling agents in previous elections during Sheikh Hasina’s tenure from participating in the upcoming polls. The meeting was attended by Home Adviser Lieutenant General (Retd.) Md. Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, Home Secretary Nasimul Gani, and senior law enforcement officers.