Officials from previous three elections to be excluded from upcoming polls: Home Adviser

The government will not assign officials who served in the past three national elections—2014, 2018 and 2024—to any duties in the upcoming national polls, Home Affairs Adviser Lt Gen (retd) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury announced on Sunday.

Speaking to journalists after a meeting of the law and order coordination committee at the Secretariat, the adviser said the government would avoid appointing those previously involved in election duties as part of efforts to ensure a free, fair and neutral election.

Jahangir Alam Chowdhury stated that clear instructions had already been issued to deputy commissioners, superintendents of police, upazila nirbahi officers and officers-in-charge to ensure neutrality on the ground. “Any individual or group attempting to create disorder will be identified and brought under the law,” he warned.

The adviser also outlined a series of security measures, including the installation of CCTV cameras at high-risk polling centres and the provision of body-worn cameras for security personnel. Around 150,000 police officers are undergoing election-related training across the country in 28 batches, with all sessions expected to be completed by 15 January.

Additionally, 585,000 members of Ansar-VDP will be trained, including 135,000 armed and 450,000 unarmed personnel, while 3,157 recruits will serve as a striking force. About 33,000 Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) members and 80,000 armed forces personnel will also be deployed.

Commenting on the overall situation, the adviser said law and order in the Chittagong Hill Tracts remains stable, and recent attempts to disrupt communal harmony during Durga Puja celebrations were foiled by law enforcement agencies.

He also dismissed claims regarding “safe exit” arrangements, stating, “I live in this country with my children; I have no need for a safe exit.”