Dhaka Bureau: The armed forces are entering the field today (Wednesday) to assist the local civil administration with the aim of a free, fair, neutral, and peaceful completion of the 12th National Parliament elections to be held on January 7. They will be deployed nationwide from January 3–10. The forces are carrying out area-wise deployment at the request and coordination of the concerned returning officer. The Army has already deployed in 62 districts. The Directorate of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) provided this information in a press release on Tuesday.
According to the ISPR, armed forces have been deployed under the ‘In Aid to the Civil Power’ as per Article 126 of the Constitution to assist the local civil administration in conducting free, fair, impartial, and peaceful parliamentary elections. The armed forces will provide support to the Election Commission and local civil administrations from January 3 to 10 across the country to ensure law and order before, during, and after polling. Armed forces personnel will be stationed at nodal points and other convenient locations in each district, upazila, and metropolitan area.
ISPR also said that the forces are completing the area-wise deployment on the request and with the coordination of the concerned returning officer. The Army is deployed in 62 districts. BGB will assume sole responsibility for 45 upazilas bordering the plain.
In addition, the army will jointly perform duties with the BGB in 47 upazilas along the border and with the Coast Guard in the four coastal upazilas. The Navy will perform duties in a total of 19 upazilas, including two coastal districts (Bhola and Barguna). The Air Force will provide the necessary helicopter support to polling stations in remote hilly areas. Apart from this, the necessary number of helicopters of the Air Force have been kept ready to provide electoral assistance in case of emergency.
A joint coordination cell comprising representatives of various ministries, departments, and law enforcement agencies has been set up in the Armed Forces Department, which will remain operational until January 10. The ISPR also said that the armed forces have made all-out preparations to provide the necessary assistance to maintain peace and order on the occasion of the upcoming 12th National Assembly elections.
