The

Election

Commission (

EC

) has strengthened digital surveillance to ensure

security

at

polling

centres during the upcoming 13th National Parliamentary

Election

and referendum by introducing a mobile application titled "

Election

Protection

".

The

app

will be used to instantly report any untoward incident at

polling

centres and enable rapid response from law enforcement agencies during voting hours.

According to an official letter signed by

EC

Senior Assistant Secretary Md Shahidul Islam on Tuesday, presiding officers, police personnel and Ansar members deployed at

polling

centres will be registered as end users of the application.

The directive has already been sent to all returning officers across the country.

The letter states that during the

election

and referendum, any unwanted or emergency situation at a

polling

centre

can be reported immediately through the

app

. Once a report is submitted, relevant responders—including law enforcement agencies and, if necessary, armed forces—will receive instant notifications via SMS and the application, allowing them to take swift action.

The

Election

Commission said field-level officials have already received training on how to use the "

Election

Protection

"

app

.

Presiding officers must complete their registration as end users to ensure the

app

’s effective implementation.

Returning officers, assistant returning officers, upazila and thana

election

officers have been instructed to take necessary measures to ensure proper registration and optimal use of the application to help conduct the

election

and referendum in a free, fair and orderly manner.

Election

commissioner’s remarks

Speaking about the initiative, an

election

commissioner said the

EC

is prioritising technology-driven solutions to improve

polling

centre

security

.

“

Election

security

can no longer rely solely on manpower. The use of technology will help ensure faster decision-making and immediate response. The ‘

Election

Protection

’

app

will play a key role in that process,” the commissioner said.

He added that real-time reporting of irregularities or violence would significantly reduce response time and

enhance

voter confidence.

Several

election

officials at the field level said the

app

would streamline incident reporting.

“Previously, reporting incidents involved delays. Now, location-based reports, photos and incident details can be sent instantly, which will help authorities act quickly,” one official said on condition of anonymity.

A member of a law enforcement agency said instant notifications would make coordination more effective.

“Direct alerts will help us respond faster than before,” the official added.

Regarding this

security

analyst Arif Moinuddin said the introduction of the

app

marks a new phase in the

EC

’s effort to use digital tools for

election

management. 

However, they note that its effectiveness will depend largely on proper usage in the field and uninterrupted internet connectivity on

polling

day.

The

Election

Commission said all concerned officials have been instructed to ensure the

app

is used to its full capacity during voting to maintain law and order at

polling

centres.