Record security deployment amid scattered violence

The interim government has undertaken an all-out security arrangement for today’s parliamentary election, deploying a record 9.58 lakh members of military, paramilitary and law enforcement agencies, around 1.58 lakh more than in the last parliamentary polls.

Despite the unprecedented deployment, questions persist over whether foolproof security can be ensured, as a total of 2,333 looted firearms as well as huge illegal ones remain unrecovered, while more than 20,000 licensed weapons have yet to be deposited. 

At the same time, several top underworld figures and hundreds of escaped inmates are reportedly still at large.

Crime analysts warn that the key concern remains potential clashes between rival candidates’ supporters and possible unrest involving the Awami League and its affiliated bodies.

Deployment

The security deployment includes 1.03 lakh Army personnel, 1,87,603 police members, 37,453 Border Guard Bangladesh members, 9,349 Rapid Action Battalion personnel, 5,000 Navy members, 3,585 Coast Guard members, 3,500 Air Force personnel, 5,67,868 Ansar and VDP members, and 1,922 BNCC members. Additionally, 2,098 executive magistrates and 657 judicial magistrates have been deployed.

The deployed forces were seen taking positions in and around polling centres, while striking forces and mobile teams continued patrols on highways, roads and alleyways. Suspects were also searched at temporary checkpoints set up across key locations.

According to the inspector general of police (IGP), 80%-90% of polling centres have been brought under CCTV surveillance. However, the remaining centres still lack coverage.

Even as security forces took positions nationwide, incidents of CCTV theft and vandalism were reported in several districts. In some places, attempts were made to set fire to polling centres and crude bombs were detonated near government establishments.

Assistant Inspector General of Police AHM Shahadat Hossain told the Daily Sun that the police force is working relentlessly to prevent any untoward incident. 

In Chattogram’s Anwara upazila, CCTV cameras installed at Bairag Govt Primary School polling centre were stolen on Tuesday night. Similar thefts of four cameras occurred at two centres in Rangpur’s Taraganj upazila. 

In Narayanganj-4 constituency, five CCTV cameras were vandalised at a polling centre near Ramarbagh Primary School. 

A BNP activist, Biraj Ali, 47, was hacked and injured in Rajshahi’s Charghat upazila, confirmed Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Charghat Police Station Helal Uddin Faruqi.

In a separate incident, a group of armed men opened fire at the house of BNP activist Rustom Ali in Raozan, Chattogram.

Meanwhile, the election office of 11-party alliance candidate Asaduzzaman Bhuiyan (Fuad) was vandalised in Madhabpasha area of Babuganj, Barishal, police said.

Law enforcement agencies also recovered large sums of cash in different districts.

In Saidpur of Nilphamari, police recovered Tk74 lakh from Belal Uddin Pradhan, ameer of Thakurgaon district Jamaat-e-Islami. 

In Chandanaish upazila of Chattogram, members of the Army and other agencies searched a microbus and seized Tk10.49 lakh from three individuals.

Additionally, in Cumilla’s Muradnagar upazila, locals detained Maulana Habibur Rahman Helali with Tk2 lakh in cash, confirmed Assistant Returning Officer and Upazila Nirbahi Officer Abdur Rahman.

At a press conference on Tuesday, IGP Baharul Alam said they could not recover 2,333 looted firearms, while 27,995 licensed arms were placed.

According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, over 20,000 individuals have yet to surrender their licensed arms to police stations concerned.

As per the information of the Department of Prisons, about 2,200 inmates, including militants, fled from jails during the 2024 mass uprising, while more than 12 top underworld criminals got out of jail on bail.

Jannatul Farhad, assistant inspector general (Development) of the Department of Prisons, told the Daily Sun that about 700 inmates are still at large.

Among the top underworld criminals, Abbas Ali alias Killer Abbas, Sweden Aslam, Imamul Hasan Helal alias Pichchi Helal, Sanjidul Islam Emon, Khondaker Nayeem alias Titon and Khorshed Alam alias Freedom Rasu are now out on bail, while Subrato Bain and Molla Masud are in a Bangladesh jail, and Tokai Sagor returned home from abroad.

Former Additional IGP M Akbar Ali described the deployment as the largest in the country’s history, indicating authorities anticipate possible conflict. He expressed concern over the unrecovered firearms.

Crime analyst Prof Omar Faruk also warned of potential risks, fearing violence and irregular tactics during voting.