January 7 election: Army, BGB to be on duty for 13 days
Members of BGB, coast guard and Rab will remain deployed for 13 days from December 29 to assist the civil administration during the parliamentary polls, the home ministry said yesterday.
During the last national election in 2018, these forces were deployed for eight days.
According to a circular of the home ministry, armed forces personnel will also carry out duties for 13 days from December 29.
Armed forces personnel were deployed for 10 days during the 2018 polls, sources in the Election Commission said.
EC Additional Secretary Ashok Kumar Debnath said the decision on deploying the forces was made keeping in mind the overall situation in the country.
"Some people are saying that they will resist the polls. This might be another reason for keeping the forces on the ground for more days this time," he told The Daily Star.
A total of 27 registered political parties, including the ruling Awami League and its 14-party alliance partners, are participating in the January 7 polls.
The BNP and like-minded parties are among the 17 political parties who are boycotting the election saying that a free and fair election is not possible under the incumbent government.
FORCES' ROLE
The home ministry circular said members of the armed forces will be stationed at different "nodal points" and convenient places in every district, upazila, and metropolitan area.
Armed forces members will be deployed in coordination with the returning officers (ROs). An executive magistrate will accompany each team of the armed forces, the letter said.
Border Guard Bangladesh, Rapid Action Battalion, and Bangladesh Coast Guard will work as striking and mobile forces. They will also help the law enforcement agencies if the ROs seek assistance. The coast guard will work in the coastal areas.
The main duty of police personnel will be to maintain law and order inside the polling centres. They will carry all electoral materials and documents to and from the polling centres. The force will also ensure security of the election officials and staffers.
Ashok said 7.47 lakh members of different agencies and forces are likely to be deployed. They will include 5.16 lakh Ansar members, 1.82 lakh police and Rab personnel, 2,355 coast guard members and 47,000 BGB members.
Around 6.08 lakh personnel of different forces, 414 platoons of the army and 48 platoons of the navy were deployed for the 2018 elections.
BAN ON PLYING OF VEHICLES
The government has imposed a ban on bikes for 72 hours from midnight of January 5, the home ministry circular said.
It has restricted the plying of taxicabs, microbuses, pickups, trucks, launches, and engine-run boats (except those operating on specific routes) for 24 hours from midnight of January 6.
Carrying and displaying of legal arms have also been prohibited till January 9.
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