Army deployed for election duty

Star file photo

The armed forces personnel have been deployed across the country for 15 days from this morning to maintain law and order during and ahead of the 10th parliamentary election.

The deployment came following the request of the Election Commission (EC).

The army personnel will work as striking force for cooperation of the civil administration, said a press release of Inter Service Public Relations Directorate (ISPR).

Initially, necessary number of armed forces personnel will be deployed at the district headquarters where the January 5 election will be held.

No election will be held in 154 constituencies as the aspirants elected uncontested in those seats.

The forces later will be deployed at different points of metropolitan areas, thanas and upazilas in coordination with returning officers, the statement added.

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmed on December 20 after a meeting with top officials of security agencies, Armed Forces Division (AFD), deputy commissioners, and superintendents of police announced the decision of army deployment.

Along with the army, navy personnel will also work in different coastal areas as per the decision of the meeting.

The voting will take place in the 146 out of 300 parliamentary seats, as 154 candidates have been elected unopposed since they were the lone candidates in their constituencies.

Meanwhile, army personnel have been seen at different districts since December 20. EC officials said army men might have arrived in different districts for winter exercise, not for election duties.

Two days after that meeting, the EC sent a letter to the AFD regarding deployment of armed forces personnel.

In the letter, the EC mentioned that the army would help ensure safe traffic movement on roads and highways in addition to maintaining law and order during the elections.

An official of home ministry yesterday told The Daily Star: “We have prepared a draft on how many armed forces personnel and law enforcers will be deployed. We have sent the draft to the Election Commission for vetting. After getting the nod from the commission, we will issue a circular in this regard.”

A senior assistant secretary of the EC Secretariat confirmed that they had received the draft on Tuesday evening.

Contacted, an election commissioner told The Daily Star: “As today (Wednesday) is pubic holiday, we have not seen the home ministry’s letter. We will be able to tell about it tomorrow (today).”

But the sources in the EC said around 50,000 armed forces personnel might be deployed for the election purposes.

Source: The Daily Star