Representative image of army being deployed.
Credit: Reuters File Photo
Dhaka: Bangladesh's election commission on Monday asked for the pre-deployment of a small team of army personnel in all 300 constituencies throughout the country for 13 days to ensure law and order during the January 7 general election.
Political violence in Bangladesh has so far killed at least six people, including a policeman. With political activity heating up, the Bangladesh Army has said it will deploy troops to maintain law and order as the country gears up for the elections.
In a letter to the Principal Staff Officer of the Armed Forces Division, the Election Commission (EC) said it has decided on the deployment of armed forces in the 300 constituencies throughout Bangladesh from December 29, 2023, to January 10, 2024, to assist the civil administration to ensure peace-order before, during and after the polling day.
A small advance team of armed forces can be sent to each district to collect primary information and data on the communication system, physical infrastructures and electoral environment, conditions of the election area, it said.
The armed forces will assist the civil administration in maintaining the law and order in line with the Code of Criminal Procedure following the recommendations of executive magistrates in the election duty, United News of Bangladesh news agency reported quoting the letter.
The armed forces will remain deployed at nodal points and convenient locations in each district, sub-district or metropolitan area. Then the members of armed forces will be deployed in coordination with the returning officers, it said.
Executive magistrates will be deployed with teams of the armed forces. On request of the returning officers or assistant returning officers, they will have to do legal activities and other work as per the reality and requirements. The EC said it will issue detailed directives later over the deployment of the armed forces.
The EC on Monday also informed returning officers that it has decided to send ballot papers to most areas on the morning of January 7, the election day, according to a report in the Dhaka Tribune newspaper.
For remote or inaccessible areas, returning officers in consultation with law enforcement – taking into consideration the communication system, security and distance – will decide on a suitable time for sending ballot papers, Election Commission Additional Secretary Ashok Kumar Debnath was quoted as saying in the report.
Returning officers have been directed to seek clearance from the commission on this matter by December 31.
The EC had announced the polls schedule on November 15 amid continued political unrest.
The country's main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), led by ailing former prime minister Khaleda Zia, is boycotting the election after its demands for an interim non-party neutral government to organise the voting were rejected. It has been repeatedly asserted that no election under the ruling Awami League party led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina would be fair. The BNP had boycotted the 2014 election but took part in 2018 polls.
With the BNP boycotting the election, and no other credible opposition party against it, Hasina's Awami League is likely to gain an upper hand and likely to form the government for the fourth consecutive term.
The US and other major Western countries called for dialogue between the ruling Awami League and particularly with the BNP to ensure an inclusive and credible election, which, however, saw no headway due to reluctance from both sides.