The Bangladesh government has decided to deploy the members of the law enforcement agencies across the country for a seven-day nationwide security operation from February 8 to February 14 to ensure that the 13th National Parliamentary Election and the referendum, scheduled for February 12, are conducted freely, fairly, and peacefully.
The home ministry has issued a circular with details stating that the deployment of law enforcement agencies across the country will take place in two phases.
Personnel already deployed during the first phase would continue their duties, while the second phase will focus on polling centres, with law enforcement officers serving for a total of seven days from February 8 to February 14.
This centre-based deployment will remain in effect from four days before the election to two days after the polls, with returning officers and police superintendents authorised to adjust personnel numbers according to local circumstances.
Although the home ministry circular was issued on Tuesday, it was made public on Wednesday.
It said that the personnel would be allocated based on the geographical location and significance of each polling centre,
The circular categorised polling centres as general or important in metropolitan, non-metropolitan, and special areas, including hill tracts and remote regions.
It said that the Armed Forces, Border Guard Bangladesh, Coast Guard, Rapid Action Battalion, police, APBn, and Ansar battalions would operate as mobile and strike forces to maintain law and order in election areas.
BGB, RAB, APBn, and Ansar battalions would carry out their duties at district, upazila, and police station levels, while the Coast Guard would be responsible for coastal areas.
According to the Election Commission, the current election has approximately 12.75 crore registered voters. Voting would take place across around 43,000 polling centres with nearly 2.6 lakh voting booths in 300 constituencies.
More than 8 lakh members of the law enforcement agencies will be deployed to ensure election security, with around 5.5 lakh to 6 lakh Ansar and Village Defence Party personnel assigned specifically to polling centres.
About 1.5 lakh police officers will also be engaged in election duties. The Armed Forces, mainly comprising army personnel, are expected to number around 90,000.
The home ministry circular said that in non-metropolitan areas, general centres would have two armed police officers, one armed Ansar section commander, one armed Ansar responsible for the presiding officer’s security, one armed assistant Ansar where available, 10 baton-wielding Ansar, including four women and six men, and one to two baton-wielding Village Defence Party members.
Important centres in these areas would have three armed police and one armed assistant Ansar section commander in addition to the standard complement of Ansar and VDP members.
In metropolitan areas, with general centres staffed by three armed police, one armed Ansar, one armed Ansar for presiding officer security, 10 baton-wielding Ansar, and an armed assistant Ansar section commander, where available.
Important metropolitan centres would have four armed police officers, one armed Ansar section commander, one assistant section commander, and one armed Ansar for presiding officer security.
Special areas, including hill tracts and other remote locations, would follow the staffing model of non-metropolitan centres, with two armed police officers at general centres and three at important centres, supported by similar numbers of Ansar and VDP members.
To address geographical challenges, the Air Force would provide helicopter support for the transportation of election officials and materials.
Mobile teams would act under the guidance of returning officers to ensure a rapid response to any incidents.
According to the circular, the armed forces will be deployed under the ‘in aid to civil power’ framework, assisting law enforcement in sensitive locations and supporting rapid response units as required.
Judicial magistrates would oversee the enforcement of the electoral code of conduct and conduct summary trials for violations, while executive magistrates would lead mobile and strike forces, coordinate operations among agencies, and maintain law and order across all polling areas.
Law and Order Coordination Cells would be established at the home ministry, returning officers’ offices, and local constituencies, staffed by representatives of each of the security agencies.
A dedicated 999 emergency team will operate alongside these cells to ensure rapid response to complaints, while the Election Commission Secretariat and local monitoring cells will continuously observe conditions and relay real-time updates to relevant authorities.
It said that modern technology had been integrated into the election security framework and all Ansar personnel deployed at polling centres would use the ‘Election Security 2026’ mobile application to report real-time updates to mobile or strike forces.
Police personnel assigned to sensitive centres would be equipped with body-worn cameras to enhance accountability.
Priority will be given to deploying trained female police and Ansar members in women’s polling centres to ensure safe and respectful conduct of the election.
Temporary restrictions on movement and campaigning have been imposed to maintain order. From midnight on February 11 to midnight on February 12, taxis, microbuses, pickups, and engine-driven boats would face movement restrictions, while motorcycles would be restricted from February 10 to February 13.
Public meetings, rallies, and processions are prohibited during the 48 hours preceding and following polling in accordance with the Representation of the People Order.
