The Election Commission on Tuesday directed the home ministry to provide personal security to the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami amir and six other senior party leaders ahead of the 13th Jatiya Sangsad election.

The directive was conveyed through an official letter signed by EC deputy secretary Mohammad Monir Hossain and addressed to the senior home secretary.

According to the letter, the directive came after a formal application submitted by Jamaat’s assistant secretary general and central publicity and media department chief Ahsanul Mahboob Zubair.

In his application, he sought security arrangements for seven top leaders of the party, all of whom are also parliamentary election candidates.

The leaders are: Jamaat amir Shafiqur Rahman; nayeb-e-amirs Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher, ATM Azharul Islam and Mujibur Rahman; secretary general Mia Golam Parwar; assistant secretary general Hamidur Rahman Azad; and assistant secretary general Rafiqul Islam Khan.