Army to be deployed for upazila polls: Sakhawat
Saturday, 9 August 2008
The army will be deployed in the upcoming upazila polls with power of arrest, election commissioner M Sakhawat Hossain said, reports bdnews24.com.
"At least eight to nine lakh people are required to maintain law and order in big elections like the upazila and national polls," he told the news agency Thursday.
"None of the other law-enforcing agencies, including police, Ansar, RAB or BDR, can provide such huge numbers of personnel. So the army has to be engaged."
Besides the army, a number of navy and air force personnel would also be involved in election duties, Sakhawat said, adding that there was precedence in the country of deploying armed forces in elections.
"During the election, the armed forces will have powers of arrest as before," said the retired brigadier general.
"However, in this case after arrest, the arrestee will have to be handed over to police."
Section 90 of the new Representation of the People Ordinance (amendment) 2008 said that any law enforcing official on election duty will have the same power of arrest without warrant as police, to maintain peace and discipline within 400 yards of any polling centre.
During the August 4 elections to four city corporations and nine municipalities, a three-tier security ring was maintained in the electoral areas with police, Ansar, RAB and Village Defence Party members.
Sakhawat Hossain said: 'It was possible to maintain security without the army as the recent elections were on a small scale."
"But for holding the upcoming elections in more than 300 upazilas or 300 Jatiya Sangsad constituencies, the help of the armed forces would be needed."
The Election Commission is preparing to hold upazila elections in October despite opposition by political parties. According to the roadmap, the national elections were scheduled for December this year.
"At least eight to nine lakh people are required to maintain law and order in big elections like the upazila and national polls," he told the news agency Thursday.
"None of the other law-enforcing agencies, including police, Ansar, RAB or BDR, can provide such huge numbers of personnel. So the army has to be engaged."
Besides the army, a number of navy and air force personnel would also be involved in election duties, Sakhawat said, adding that there was precedence in the country of deploying armed forces in elections.
"During the election, the armed forces will have powers of arrest as before," said the retired brigadier general.
"However, in this case after arrest, the arrestee will have to be handed over to police."
Section 90 of the new Representation of the People Ordinance (amendment) 2008 said that any law enforcing official on election duty will have the same power of arrest without warrant as police, to maintain peace and discipline within 400 yards of any polling centre.
During the August 4 elections to four city corporations and nine municipalities, a three-tier security ring was maintained in the electoral areas with police, Ansar, RAB and Village Defence Party members.
Sakhawat Hossain said: 'It was possible to maintain security without the army as the recent elections were on a small scale."
"But for holding the upcoming elections in more than 300 upazilas or 300 Jatiya Sangsad constituencies, the help of the armed forces would be needed."
The Election Commission is preparing to hold upazila elections in October despite opposition by political parties. According to the roadmap, the national elections were scheduled for December this year.