All law-enforcement agencies, except Ansar and VDP, will be deployed solely for election duty for five days, the Election Commission said in a special circular on Thursday.
The law-enforcement agencies other than Ansar and VDP will remain exclusively engaged for five days—from three days before the polling day to one day after voting.
The Ansar and VDP will be deployed for six days, starting four days ahead of the election and continuing until one day after polling.
The EC will allocate the required budget for election-time deployment following the traditional system, reads the circular.
Besides, the operational deployment of the law enforcement agencies will continue till seven days after the voting day, which started after the announcement of election schedule, said the circular issued ahead of the 13th parliamentary election and the referendum on July Charter, scheduled for February 12, 2026.
The Police Force, Armed Police Battalion, Rapid Action Battalion, Ansar Force, Battalion Ansar, Border Guard Bangladesh, Coast Guard Force, Bangladesh Army, Bangladesh Navy and Bangladesh Air Force are defined as law-enforcement agencies in the recently promulgated Representation of the People (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025.
About the armed forces --Bangladesh Army, Bangladesh Navy and Bangladesh Air Force -- the circular said the armed forces have already been deployed in aid of the civil administration, a deployment that will continue during the election period.
The government has granted magistracy powers to the armed forces, which will remain effective until February 28, 2026.
Maintaining a normal law-and-order situation is a prerequisite for conducting a free, fair and festive election, it noted, saying the EC has outlined a set of priorities for the authorities concerned to hold the elections in fair and peaceful manners.
The issues that should be given special importance include keeping the overall law-and-order situation peaceful and normal; ensuring all parties and candidates can carry out lawful campaign activities without hindrance; enabling voters to cast their ballots fearlessly and comfortably; ensuring security of polling centres, control rooms, related installations and offices; securing uninterrupted transportation and storage of election materials and ballots, including postal ballots; preventing the spread and impact of rumours and disinformation; and ensuring safety of minority and marginalised communities irrespective of ethnicity, religion, gender or tribe.
Another key focus is creating a supportive environment that enables persons with disabilities, the injured, the elderly, the sick, and expectant mothers to exercise their voting rights without hindrance. Ensuring the safety of all individuals involved in election arrangements is also a priority, alongside providing security and assistance to field-level committees and officials, including Electoral Inquiry and Adjudication Committees, judicial and executive magistrates and surveillance, monitoring, and law-and-order teams.
In addition, authorities are tasked with enforcing compliance with the electoral code of conduct by parties and candidates, while providing security support for the Election Commission’s voter awareness programmes, including those related to the referendum. The safety of presiding and polling officers is also emphasised, covering the period from the receipt of election materials and ballots until the results are submitted to returning or assistant returning officers.
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The circular also spelled out the general framework for law and order saying that the EC’s coordination cell will maintain regular coordination and communication, while the Home Affairs Ministry will act as the lead ministry for planning, coordination and supervision of law-and-order measures during the pre-election period and the EC-designated post-election period.
Disinformation Monitoring Cell
The EC will operate a Law and Order and Disinformation Monitoring Cell comprising representatives from the EC, ministries, divisions, BTRC and all relevant forces and agencies till February 14, 2026. But the cell will function in full form for seven days— from four days before polling to two days after the balloting day.
Operational Deployment
The circular detailed two phases of deployment of law- enforcement agencies – normal deployment and election-time deployment.
The law-enforcement agencies are on the normal (current) deployment from the announcement of election schedule to seven days after the balloting day excluding the election-time deployment period.
But the agencies Ansar and VDP will be on exclusive election-time development for five days (three days before polling, polling day and one day after), while Ansar and VDP for six days (four days before polling, polling day and one day after).
There will be two types of deployment of law enforcers– statics and mobile. In case of static deployment, they will be deployed based on the polling stations for five days during the balloting, while permanent or temporary check posts for the full election period.
Besides, the law enforcers will be deployed as mobile or patrol forces, striking forces and reserve forces (for full time).
Coordination Directives
An official from each commission, ministry, division and force or agency concerned will act as a focal point to coordinate with the EC’s coordination cell. Agencies with technological capabilities will support the EC in countering disinformation.
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The EC’s focal point is its Deputy Secretary Mohammad Monir Hossain, said the special circular.
Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin on December 11 last announced the schedule to arrange the 13th parliamentary election and the referendum on the July National Charter (Constitutional Reform) Implementation Order simultaneously on February 12 next.
According to the election schedule, the deadline for the submission of nomination paper is December 29, while the scrutiny of nomination paper is on December 30-January 4 and the last date for the withdrawal of candidature is January 20. The election campaign will start on January 22 and continue till 48 hours before the balloting period (7:30am on February 10).