The Election Commission (EC) has decided to deploy the army for 13 days before and after the upcoming 12th parliamentary elections. The members of the armed forces will be deployed in all 300 constituencies in the country from 29 December to 10 January.
The army will be deployed to help the civil administration under the ‘in aid to civil power’.
The EC informed this the principal staff officer of the Bangladesh Armed Services Board in a letter on Tuesday. The letter requested necessary initiatives according to the decision of the EC.
According to EC sources, the letter states that separate small teams of the armed forces can be sent to each district some days prior to the voting day to collect information regarding the communication system in the constituency, infrastructural structures and electoral environment after consulting with the EC.
The letter reads that the members of the armed forces will help the civil administration maintain law and order in accordance with the code of criminal procedure subject to the advice of the executive magistrate. The members of the armed forces will be deployed at the nodal points and other suitable places of the district or upazila or metropolitan areas. The members of the armed forces will be deployed in coordination with the returning officer.
Each of the armed forces team will include an executive magistrate to ensure the actions are taken as per the law of the country. The area-wise deployment will be finalised as per the directives from the returning officer.
The other law and order related works should be done as per the request and demands of the returning officers or assistant returning officers, the EC letter said.