"Armed forces ready to perform duties during the elections"

Bangladesh’s military has affirmed its readiness to support the upcoming 13th National Parliamentary Election and the 2026 referendum, emphasising its dual responsibility of assisting civil authorities and instilling public confidence in the electoral process. Chief of Army Staff, General Waker-uz-Zaman, underlined these points during a high-level consultation with all election stakeholders at the National Football Stadium in Gulistan yesterday morning.

Speaking to participants, General Waker-uz-Zaman highlighted the army’s commitment to providing support to civil administration and law enforcement agencies whenever necessary, ensuring the conduct of free, fair, and orderly elections. The second priority, he stated, is to reassure citizens that the Bangladesh government, the Election Commission, law enforcement agencies, and the armed forces are working cohesively to uphold the integrity of the electoral process.

During the visit, the army chief inspected the on-site military camp and announced that, on election day and in its immediate aftermath, military helicopters and watercraft will be available to transport personnel and election materials to remote or high-risk polling stations. All service helicopters will be strategically deployed nationwide to respond rapidly to any urgent situation.

Brigadier General Dewan Mohammad Monzur Hossain, Director of Military Operations at Army Headquarters, elaborated on these preparations at a press briefing held at the Roller Skating Complex in Gulistan. According to him, the army has deployed 100,000 personnel—a significant increase of approximately 2.5 times compared to previous elections. They will be supported by a large contingent of police, RAB, BGB, and members of the Navy and Air Force.

The army emphasises professional conduct, impartiality, discipline, patience, and citizen-friendly behaviour. Troops deployed under the “In Aid to Civil Power” mandate are under continuous monitoring and receive guidance to ensure effective execution of duties. Election security will be continuously overseen from Army Headquarters in Dhaka.

Key Deployment Data for the 13th Parliamentary Election:

Brigadier General Hossain confirmed that robust measures are in place to protect voters and ballot boxes, including enhanced patrols and rapid deployment to high-risk areas. For the first time, army personnel will conduct patrols up to the gates of polling stations to ensure voter safety. He noted that strict but lawful force will be applied only if necessary.

Additionally, election-related disinformation, particularly amplified by AI-generated content, has been identified as a major threat. Brigadier General Hossain appealed to journalists and mainstream media outlets to provide timely, fact-based reporting to counter misinformation.

Finally, in response to questions about missing firearms from the 2023 Revolution period, he confirmed that recovery operations are ongoing, with 15 weapons recovered in the last 24 hours alone. Overall, the armed forces are fully prepared to maintain peace, prevent post-election violence, and support the government in conducting a credible election.