A major scandal has rocked the Ansar and Village Defence Party (VDP) just hours before the national polls, as over 300 personnel were dismissed for illegal recruitment and political bias. In an official press release issued on Wednesday, 11 February, the force confirmed that a coordinated purge was conducted to safeguard the integrity of the electoral process.
The Hatirjheel Recruitment Scam
The most significant breach occurred in the capital’s Hatirjheel area, where a local City Defence Team (TDP) leader, identified as Mamun, allegedly orchestrated a massive fraudulent scheme. Investigations revealed that Mamun forged training certificates for 330 individuals who had never received the mandatory institutional training.
The scheme was driven by financial extortion; Mamun reportedly charged each recruit 400 BDT to create the counterfeit documents and a further 1,100 BDT as a “service fee” to ensure their deployment on election day. Following the discovery of this corruption, all 330 personnel were immediately relieved of their duties. Mamun is currently a fugitive, and law enforcement agencies have launched an operation to apprehend him.
Political Bias and Unqualified Deployments
Beyond the financial corruption in Dhaka, the force has taken strict action against personnel showing “special political affiliations”—a direct violation of the neutral status required for election security.
Political Dismissals: In Gulshan, Ward 19 leader Shahnaz Sultana, and in Vatara, Ward 40 leader Samsunnahar, were dismissed after preliminary evidence suggested they were actively affiliated with a specific political party.
Training Lapses: In Chattogram’s Kotwali Thana, 13 personnel were removed after it was discovered they were entirely untrained, despite being assigned to high-security polling duties.
Ansar Security Deployment and Disciplinary Action
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Total Security Personnel (All Forces) | ~950,000 |
| Ansar & VDP Personnel Deployed | Over 550,000 |
| Total Dismissed (Hatirjheel) | 330 (Untrained/Fraudulent) |
| Primary Offence | Bribery, Forgery, and Political Bias |
| Financial Extortion Rate | 1,500 BDT per illegal recruit |
Commitment to Electoral Integrity
The Ansar and VDP headquarters emphasised that institutional qualifications and physical fitness are non-negotiable for election duties. The force has deployed over half a million members to secure polling stations nationwide, making them the largest single component of the election security architecture.
A spokesperson for the force stated that any attempt to jeopardise the election through the inclusion of unqualified or politically motivated individuals would be met with “immediate dismissal and legal prosecution.” With nearly 9.5 lakh security personnel on the ground, the authorities are under immense pressure to ensure that those in uniform remain beyond reproach.
