Local govt elections: Fears of violence and anxiety over deficiency in police capacity

The police harbour serious concerns regarding potential violence surrounding the upcoming local government elections. However, senior police officials believe there is a marked shortfall in the operational capacity required to handle such situations.

According to them, there is a deficit of 2,500 vehicles compared to what is needed to conduct police operations nationwide, effectively reducing the force’s overall capacity by 20 per cent.

The issue of the police’s operational deficit was raised yesterday, Wednesday, during discussions at the inauguration of an electoral training programme for police officers at the Rajarbagh Police Lines auditorium in the capital.

Several senior police officers present at the event stated that Inspector General of Police (IGP) Ali Hossain Fakir noted that during the last national parliamentary election, people across all political spectrums and opinions supported a fair, peaceful, and acceptable election; however, the atmosphere during the local government elections will be vastly different.

According to him, the ruling party, opposition parties, and independent factions will all strive to ensure victory for their respective candidates. Consequently, there is a heightened risk of conflict during this election, the officials added.

At the event, the IGP also stated that the various police units currently face a shortfall of 2,500 vehicles compared to their sanctioned fleet. As a result, the force's normal operational capacity has diminished by 20 per cent due to a lack of logistical support.

Enquiries reveal that the police force currently possesses 16,169 vehicles of various types across the country. Relevant police officials indicated that the current vehicle deficit is largely attributable to the attacks on and vandalism of police installations during the July 2024 uprising.

According to data from Police Headquarters, 1,074 police vehicles were damaged during that period. Among them, 455 cars and motorcycles were set ablaze, and 620 vehicles were vandalised. Later, in 2025, a further 1,369 police vehicles became unserviceable.

When asked about the matter, Police Headquarters spokesperson AHM Shahadat Hossain stated that police installations, vehicles, and essential equipment sustained damage during the July movement.

He added that field-level operations have now returned to normal, and a requisition for necessary vehicles and equipment has been submitted to the relevant authorities to bolster the force’s capacity.

Following the inauguration ceremony, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin addressed various queries from journalists.

He stated that past experience shows violence tends to be comparatively higher in local elections. There are numerous candidates, often with multiple contenders hailing from the same family, leading to brawls and clashes across localities, villages, and neighbourhoods.

To maintain law and order surrounding the election, the CEC affirmed that measures such as CCTV cameras, body-worn cameras, and digital and online monitoring systems will be substantially reinforced during the polling period.

Officers from various tiers of the police force were present at the event, including Additional Inspectors General (Additional IGPs), all Metropolitan Police Commissioners, all range Deputy Inspectors General (DIGs), Additional DIGs, Superintendents of Police (SPs) from all 64 districts, and officials equivalent to SPs from various police training centres.