Major Pre-Election Shake-Up in Police and Administration

In the run-up to Bangladesh’s forthcoming 13th national parliamentary election, the interim government has undertaken an extensive overhaul of the police, the civil administration and the lower judiciary. On Wednesday alone, more than one thousand officials were either promoted or assigned to new postings, marking one of the most sweeping pre-election restructurings in recent years. Those affected include Superintendents of Police (SPs), Upazila Nirbahi Officers (UNOs), and judges from three tiers of the subordinate courts.

A day earlier, at the Chief Adviser’s residence in Jamuna, the authorities finalised SP appointments for all 64 districts through a lottery-based process. On Wednesday, the formal orders of transfer and posting were issued: 50 serving SPs were moved from one district to another, while 14 officers of various ranks were appointed as district SPs for the first time. In addition, a new Commissioner has been assigned to Rajshahi Metropolitan Police. The police hierarchy was further strengthened on Tuesday with the promotion of 33 officers to the rank of Deputy Inspector General (DIG).

This extensive reorganisation is not limited to the police. In recent weeks, the government appointed new Deputy Commissioners (DCs) in 50 districts. On Tuesday, significant changes were also announced at the upazila level with 166 senior assistant secretaries being posted as UNOs. Since DCs act as Returning Officers during national elections and many UNOs serve as Assistant Returning Officers, their roles are considered vital. The Election Commission has yet to confirm who will serve as Returning Officers this year.

The judiciary has undergone a similarly large transformation. A total of 826 judges have been promoted and reposted:

• 250 promoted from Additional District Judge to District Judge,
• 294 from Joint District Judge to Additional District Judge,
• 282 from Senior Assistant Judge to Joint District Judge.

Alongside these systemic changes, the government has reassigned SPs across nearly every district. For instance, Dhaka’s SP Md Anisuzzaman has been posted to Cumilla, while the SPs of Narayanganj, Gazipur, Munshiganj, Chattogram and other districts have been transferred to new locations. Similar movements have taken place across Khulna, Rajshahi, Barishal, Sylhet and Rangpur divisions.

This unprecedented reshuffle signals a clear intent by the interim authorities to ensure a more neutral, responsive and well-coordinated administrative structure ahead of the national vote—an election that will require heightened vigilance, operational readiness and institutional credibility at every level.