Home Affairs Adviser Maj Gen (retd) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury expressed optimism about the peaceful conduct of the upcoming 13th National Parliamentary Election. He highlighted the smooth and incident-free observance of recent religious festivals as a positive sign.
During a meeting with law enforcement agencies and election officials at the Shilpakala Academy in Barishal city, Maj Gen (retd) Chowdhury emphasized the peaceful nature of the Durga Puja and Saraswati Puja celebrations. He assured journalists that with the cooperation of everyone, the election is expected to be conducted smoothly.
Discussing security measures, he mentioned the successful use of a security app during the past two religious festivals, which will be employed again for the election. With 42,700 polling centers across the country, Maj Gen (retd) Chowdhury highlighted the effectiveness of the security app that was previously utilized in managing about 33,000 puja mandaps.
To mitigate potential risks, the government has bolstered the deployment of security forces. A significant number of personnel, including approximately 100,000 army members, 150,000 police officers, 10,000 Rab members, 5,000 navy personnel, 37,000 border guards, 5,000 coast guards, and nearly 600,000 Ansar members will be stationed nationwide. Additionally, BNCC members will be actively involved in the security measures.
Maj Gen (retd) Chowdhury mentioned the use of body cameras by law enforcement officials, in conjunction with CCTV cameras, drones, and dog squads. He reiterated the commitment of all parties involved to execute their duties impartially to ensure a fair and credible election process.