United News of Bangladesh

Home Affairs Adviser Lt Gen Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury on Tuesday said any kind of chaos at polling stations will be dealt with strictly, as armed forces members are being allowed inside polling stations for the first time. “Any disruption at polling centers will be dealt with strictly. There will be no tolerance for anyone trying to obstruct the election,” he said while talking to reporters after a views-exchange meeting on law and order ahead of the national election at Faridpur Deputy Commissioner office. Officials from five districts of greater Faridpur including district administration, police, army, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and election officers attended the meeting. Vote-buying proves Jamaat’s political bankruptcy, code violation: Mahdi Amin The Home Affairs Adviser said the law-and-order situation is under control and the election is expected to be peaceful. “In Bangladesh history, no election has seen the deployment of so many law enforcement personnel. This election is being conducted more smoothly than ever before. I seek everyone’s prayers,” he added. Responding to questions on women wearing burqas at polling stations, he said the Election Commission has clarified the rules. Female Ansar members will be present at each polling station to take necessary action, if needed.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Sheikh Md Sajjat Ali on Monday said they have put in place extensive security arrangements to ensure the national election and referendum scheduled for February 12 are held in a free, fair and peaceful manner. Briefing reporters at the DMP Media Centre, the DMP commissioner said a ‘foolproof’ security plan had been prepared and would be implemented with professionalism and neutrality. “We are working with dedication and sincerity. We want to set an example by ensuring a meaningful and widely acceptable election, overcoming the stigma associated with the misuse of law enforcement in past polls,” he said. The commissioner said the police would focus on maintaining law and order in electoral areas, ensuring security inside polling centres, protecting election officials and materials, safeguarding the offices of returning officers and enabling voters to cast their ballots without obstruction. He said peace at polling centres would be maintained through mobile and striking teams, while at least one police officer equipped with a body-worn camera would be deployed at sensitive centres. Joint operations and checkpoints would be carried out with other law enforcement agencies, and security would be provided to candidates and other election-related individuals. Despite limited resources and manpower, he said, the DMP was determined to deliver a “flawless and acceptable” election. For real-time monitoring, body-worn cameras will be used, while 180 striking teams and 510 mobile teams will be deployed across the capital. Eight control rooms have been set up across DMP’s eight crime divisions, along with four additional special control rooms. Special Reserve Force units will be stationed at strategic locations under the direct supervision of senior officers and will be mobilised rapidly if required. Elite units, including SWAT, the Bomb Disposal Unit, Dog Squad, Crime Scene Vans and mounted police, will also remain on standby. 37 Dhaka polling centres under risk watch: DMP Commissioner Calling on city residents to participate, the DMP mcommissioner urged voters to come to polling centres ‘fearlessly and peacefully’ to exercise their civic rights. On risk assessment, Sajjat Ali said polling centres in Dhaka had been categorised as ‘important’ and ‘general’ in line with Election Commission guidelines. A total of 1,614 centres have been identified as important and 517 as general. An additional 37 centres in hard-to-reach areas, including Kamrangirchar, Satarkul and Beraid, have been placed under special arrangements, with seven police officers to be deployed at each. Addressing concerns about possible threats, the commissioner said there was no security risk at present and that the overall law and order situation in Dhaka was “better than normal”. “There is no crime, no road blockade,” Sajjat Ali said, adding that law and order in the capital remained stable despite a population of about 36.6 million. On the issue of police neutrality, the DMP commissioner said that during his 15 months in office, the force had not worked in favour of any political party, and that its conduct reflected professional impartiality. He also said the security plan included protection for journalists, doctors, engineers and other professionals. Assuring media workers of their safety, he said there were no concerns regarding journalists’ security during the election period.  

Commissioner of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Sheikh Md Sajjat Ali on Monday directed all concerned to ensure the highest level of security at all polling centres across every parliamentary constituency in the capital ahead of the national election and during the voting and counting. Sajjat Ali issued the directive while presiding over a coordination meeting on the security plan and overall management for the upcoming election at the DMP Headquarters conference room on Monday. The DMP Commissioner stressed the need for heightened vigilance to prevent any form of disorder at polling centres. He instructed police officials to keep a close watch on centres located far from police stations and to further strengthen patrol activities within station jurisdictions. Additional Police Commissioner (Crime and Operations) SN Md Nazrul Islam said the election is being held in a different context this time, urging officers to perform their duties with that in mind. He said additional forces would be deployed and that maintaining law and order would receive the highest priority. At the meeting, Joint Police Commissioner (Operations) Mohammad Shahidullah presented the overall security plan through a PowerPoint presentation. Senior DMP officials shared their opinions during the meeting, as the Commissioner issued various directive instructions to ensure effective implementation of the security measures.  

Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus has instructed the chiefs of the three armed services to take all necessary measures to ensure flawless security ahead of the 13th National Parliament election, scheduled for the first half of February. He gave the directives during a meeting with Army Chief General Waker-uz-Zaman, Navy Chief Admiral Mohammad Nazmul Hasan, and Air Chief Marshal Hassan Mahmud Khan at the State Guest House Jamuna on Saturday evening. CA’s office asks officials to avoid foreign travels until election National Security Adviser Dr Khalilur Rahman was also present. During the meeting, Professor Yunus commended the armed forces for their contributions in maintaining national security and law and order over the past 15 months. He reiterated that the interim government is determined to hold the elections in February in a free, fair, impartial, peaceful and festive manner. Forces from inside-outside country may work to thwart election: Prof Yunus    The chiefs of the three services briefed the Chief Adviser on the military’s preparations for the elections. A total of 90,000 army personnel, 2,500 navy personnel, and a number of air force personnel will be deployed to maintain law and order. One company of soldiers will be stationed in each upazila. The military chiefs also invited the Chief Adviser to attend the Armed Forces Day celebrations on 21 November. Cooperatives can help build an equal and self-reliant Bangladesh: Prof Yunus