Army likely to be deployed on 29 December for 13 days In Bangladesh

• Army likely to be deployed across Bangladesh for 13 days 
• The deployment of army troops till January 10
• President to make the final decision

The Bangladesh Army is likely to be deployed nationwide on 29 December to tighten security and maintain law and order under control ahead of the elections scheduled for 7 January.

A preliminary discussion over a 13-day deployment of the army from 29 December to 10 January has been discussed. But Troops will be deployed following the president's approval.

During the 11th parliamentary elections in 2018, More than 35,000 and approximately 50,000 armed forces personnel were deployed nationwide to ensure security during the 10th parliamentary elections in 2014.

Principal Staff of the Arm Forces Division and Election Commission Secretary briefed the media after a meeting on December 11.

Lieutenant General Waker-Uz-Zaman, Principal Staff Officer (PSO) of the Armed Forces Division, disclosed the information to the media after a meeting with the Election Commission (EC) on Monday. Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal chaired the meeting, which was held at the Nirbachan Bhaban in the capital.

“It has been discussed that the army will be deployed for 13 days from December 29 to January 10, centering the election. The Election Commission will request that the president permit this. The president will then make the final decision,” Waker-Uz-Zaman said.

He also said the EC wants a free and fair election. “If the armed forces are deployed, we must assist the EC.”

Earlier, EC Secretary Md Jahangir Alam said the EC has held discussions with the PSO of the Armed Forces, the Public Security Department, and the senior secretaries of the Defence Ministry.

“There was a discussion about how the armed forces can help in the upcoming election, which is scheduled to be held on January 7,” he said.