Bangladesh's post-uprising government decides to drop administrative and police officials involved in the last three botched elections from field-level postings during the upcoming February polls, in sweeping bids for ensuring neutrality and public trust.
In a high-level meeting chaired by Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus Wednesday, the interim government also approved the deployment of an unprecedented 92,500 members of the armed forces across the country - 90,000 from the army and the remainder from the navy - to bolster security and maintain order before, during and after the crucial vote.
The concrete poll-prepared measures are drawn up a day after the National Consensus Commission, constituted after the July uprising 2024 to prescribe state-system recast on political consensus, submitted its recommendations to pave the way for reforms and elections to a bicameral parliament.
Under the security-deployment plan, each upazila will have a dedicated army company, with joint operations centres coordinating between civil administration and law-enforcement agencies.
The meeting also discussed community involvement in maintaining peace in the 72-hour window before and after the general election-being held against the backdrop of the previous ruling party's rout with the fall of the Awami League government of Sheikh Hasina.
Briefing the press after the meeting was over, Shafiqul Alam, Press Secretary to the Chief Adviser, said the decision was driven by a determination to "restore credibility" to the electoral process.
"Instructions have been given to ensure that no one who was involved in the past three elections is appointed to field-administration positions," Alam said.
"Whether they served as Returning Officer, Polling Officer or Assistant Returning Officer, if they had even a minimal role in the last three elections, they should not be appointed this time."
The Election Commission, he said, has already begun implementing a new set of criteria for appointments - assessing candidates' previous postings, political background, performance record and media scrutiny - to identify the "most fit" officials for deployment in sensitive constituencies.
The head of interim government, known for his reformist tone since taking office as the Chief Adviser, reportedly told the meeting: "We must hope for the best, but be prepared for the worst. No one will be posted to their home district. If someone has close relatives or in-laws in a certain area, they will not be posted there."
Home Affairs Adviser Lt-General (Retd) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury told the meeting that a list of 64 district police superintendents had already been prepared for reassignment.
"The Chief Adviser has repeatedly emphasised that the process must remain as neutral as possible," Alam noted. In what officials described as an "urgent response to digital manipulation," the interim government decided to form two national committees - one to coordinate across all administrative tiers, and another dedicated to countering misinformation and AI-generated fake content.
"We've seen how AI-generated images and videos circulate rapidly," Alam told the press, adding that the Chief Adviser has stressed that fact-checking must happen "in the shortest possible time".
The ICT and Cultural Ministries have been tasked with providing logistical support to remove fake or misleading content "using the full machinery of the state".
Facebook, he said, remains the main platform for disinformation: "The government plans to engage more deeply with Facebook to convey our concerns directly."
Quoting Professor Yunus, the Press Secretary said, "There will be propaganda - both domestic and foreign - to derail the election. We must be ready to counter it immediately. The moment misinformation appears, it must be stopped."
The Chief Adviser called for a "festive and participatory" election and directed the Election Commission and Culture Ministry to launch a nationwide public-awareness campaign through TV spots, documentaries and short films to educate citizens on voting procedures and codes of conduct.
Yunus warns: "Powerful forces, inside and outside the country, will try to sabotage the election…the government must 'weather every storm' to deliver a fair vote."
The government will also equip field forces with body-worn cameras to ensure transparency. Ansar personnel, who will play a major role in election security, are receiving intensive new training, with footage to be broadcast on state television.
The Election Commission, meanwhile, is developing a mobile app to enable postal voting for expatriates and three other categories of eligible voters. It also plans to use the former Parliament TV channel to air election-related educational content.
All arrangements, officials said, must be completed by November 15.
Responding to a question on former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's recent Reuters interview from exile, Shafiqul Alam said the CA Office would refrain from comment until it had reviewed the content.
However, he said, "UN reports and independent investigations have documented the scale of killings and rights violations during Hasina's tenure. No one in this century has committed such horrific acts."
He accused Hasina's associates of hiring an expensive UK law firm "using stolen public funds" to lobby on her behalf, calling it "deeply unfortunate".
To another question, Alam said law-enforcement agencies were on high alert amid what the government sees as attempts to disrupt the election.
"Some people are plotting to sabotage the vote from within the country," he said. "The fallen autocrat and her allies do not want a free and fair election. They want instability. But the Chief Adviser has made it clear - our goal is to hold one of the best elections in Bangladesh's history."
mirmostafiz@yahoo.com