Online Desk:

The government is considering withdrawing all army personnel from field-level deployment by June, according to officials.

The decision was taken at the first meeting of the law-and-order core committee held on Tuesday.

Officials said the Home Ministry will formally inform the Defence Ministry, after which the withdrawal process will begin.

The move signals a gradual return to civilian-led law enforcement following one of the longest domestic deployments of the armed forces in recent years.

Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed chaired the meeting. Senior officials from relevant security and law enforcement agencies were present, including representatives from the police, Rapid Action Battalion, Border Guard Bangladesh, Ansar and VDP, Special Branch, NSI, DGFI, NTMC, Coast Guard, SSF, fire service, and the Armed Forces Division.

A senior official at the Prime Minister’s Office, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the decision to withdraw the army after the election had been taken earlier and is now being formalised.

Officials said the withdrawal will begin in the first week of June from remote districts and will be implemented in phases across all districts and divisional headquarters.

Armed Forces Division sources said troops have been deployed in the field for about two years and are now expected to return to barracks to resume regular training and duties.

They added that army personnel are currently operating from around 50 camps across 63 districts, with deployments reduced following the election.

The army was first deployed on July 19, 2024, amid nationwide unrest linked to the quota reform movement. The deployment continued under “Aid to Civil Power” arrangements, and magistracy powers were later granted in September.

Those powers were extended several times but lapsed after the February 2026 parliamentary election and were not renewed.

Military sources said the armed forces played a key role during the period, including counterterrorism operations, recovery of illegal arms, dismantling of criminal networks, and support to civil authorities during unrest.

They added that more than 10,000 illegal weapons were seized and over 22,000 suspects were detained and handed over to law enforcement agencies.

The army also assisted in maintaining security during the February election, deploying personnel nationwide to help prevent violence and ensure order at polling centres.