TDS Desk:

With just three days remaining until Bangladesh’s thirteenth general election, the role of law enforcement agencies alongside the Election Commission, particularly the army, is seen as critical to ensuring a smooth and peaceful vote. The focus is on securing polling centres and surrounding areas to ensure voters can access them freely. Increasing army patrols and activity is also a priority to pre-empt violence and disorder. Maintaining a peaceful electoral environment and ensuring candidates and their agents can operate free of intimidation is seen as another major challenge. Law enforcement will bear immediate responsibility for controlling any situation that risks booth capture, coerced voting or clashes.

Analysts also see the army’s presence as vital to swiftly addressing major allegations of malpractice, recovering illegal arms and curbing criminal activity. In their view, the army’s effectiveness and neutrality will largely determine how peaceful and confidence-inspiring the electoral climate is and the extent to which the voting process gains public acceptance.

During the three elections held under the now-ousted Awami League government, the army was deployed alongside other law enforcement agencies. Critics allege that despite the formal deployment, the army’s role was largely passive even when visible irregularities were reported. Looking further back, the 2008 election remains contentious, with longstanding accusations that the army and intelligence agencies exerted undue influence under the leadership of the military-backed 1/11 caretaker government.

While the army’s role in the past three to four elections has been debated, many analysts see the upcoming poll as an opportunity for the force to “rebuild its reputation”. They argue that if the army can remain genuinely impartial on the ground, securing voters, candidates and agents, maintaining order at polling stations and taking swift, visible action against malpractice and violence, it could set a new benchmark for professionalism and move beyond past controversies.

With the February 12 election approaching, observers believe the army is preparing to take a more active role than in previous cycles. The military has repeatedly said it is committed to facilitating a fair and open election by preventing conflict. Its heightened role has already been evident in operations in the capital and elsewhere, resulting in weapons seizures and arrests.

Army headquarters has said the Bangladesh Army will carry out its duties with complete neutrality during the thirteenth parliamentary election and will use force in accordance with the law if required. The position was outlined by Brig Gen Dewan Mohammad Monzur Hossain, director of Military Operations Directorate at army headquarters, during a press briefing on February 5 in the Gulistan National Stadium area. The briefing detailed army operations conducted under the “In Aid to the Civil Power” framework.

“The rules of engagement for the army are clearly defined,” Brig Gen Hossain said. “We perform our duties within the law, following those rules. If a situation genuinely requires greater use of force, we’ll follow the escalation of force procedure set out in the rules of engagement and take necessary measures.”

At the same briefing, it was said that Army Chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman has consulted all election stakeholders. He outlined two objectives: to assure the civilian administration and law enforcement agencies of the army’s full support as required and to build public confidence in the election to ensure a free, fair and acceptable poll. Under the army chief’s direction, the force is ready to extend full cooperation to the Election Commission, interim government, civilian administration, law enforcement, media and the public to ensure a smooth, open and peaceful election.

The same day, General Waker-Uz-Zaman inspected an army camp at the National Stadium in Gulistan, issuing directives to deployed personnel and holding discussions with civilian administration officials.

On February 3, the chiefs of the army, navy and air force held discussions in Gazipur on the upcoming election. During the meeting, the army chief said: “The country is heading towards a peaceful election. All relevant agencies are working with utmost sincerity to hold a free, fair and smooth election. There’s no possibility of the election not taking place.”

He added, “The Election Commission, government, administration, police, along with the army, air force and navy, are all performing their duties in a coordinated manner. We all share a single objective: to ensure an acceptable election.”

The same day, Army Chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman visited Shariatpur district and held a coordination meeting with senior district administration and law enforcement officials. He discussed strengthening inter-agency coordination and overall security management to ensure the upcoming national election is conducted peacefully, neutrally and fairly. He placed particular emphasis on professionalism, neutrality, discipline, patience and citizen-friendly conduct while performing duty.

Meanwhile, members of the army and other law enforcement agencies began field deployment from today, February 8, to ensure the upcoming parliamentary election and a simultaneous referendum are free, fair, neutral, peaceful and festive. Election Commissioner Abdul Rahman Masud said the army is already deployed in the field and will be further reinforced from Sunday. They will remain formally deployed for seven days around the election. In a related circular, the home ministry said police, BGB, Ansar and VDP, and Coast Guard personnel will be deployed to conduct the election peacefully and impartially and to maintain law and order, while armed forces members will be deployed under the “In Aid to Civil Power” framework to assist the local civil administration.

This election will see more than 970,000 personnel from various security forces deployed on electoral duty. The deployment includes 103,000 from the army, 5,000 from the navy, 3,730 from the air force, 37,453 from the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), 3,585 from the Coast Guard, 187,603 from police, 9,349 from RAB, 576,483 from Ansar and Village Defence Party (VDP) and 45,820 from the Chowkidar–Dafadar force.

Analysts say that given questions over the army’s neutrality and effectiveness after three contentious elections under the Awami League, this poll presents more than a routine assignment. It is seen as a chance to visibly demonstrate professionalism and impartiality, and to recast the force’s role and reputation beyond recent controversies and the associated trust deficit.

The army’s role during the January 5, 2014 general election drew widespread criticism. Held amid a boycott by the main opposition alliance, 153 seats were won uncontested. Turnout was negligible in many centres and allegations of violence emerged in some areas. The army chief at the time was General Iqbal Karim Bhuiyan. In a recent Facebook post, he claimed that a six-month agreement had been reached at that time among the Awami League, BNP and Jamaat for another election, which the ruling Awami League later failed to honour. The former chief claimed he acted in line with the constitution and opposed the use of the army in politics.

General Aziz Ahmed was appointed the 16th chief of army staff of the Bangladesh Army on June 18, 2018. The eleventh parliamentary election was held later that year on December 30. Amid widespread allegations of vote rigging, the Awami League won 257 seats. That parliamentary contest saw a total of 39 registered parties taking part including the Awami League-led Grand Alliance and the BNP-led Jatiya Oikya Front. The army was deployed alongside other law enforcement agencies to ensure a free and fair environment. Allegations persist that its role at the time was largely passive. Awami League activists were accused of taking control of most centres soon after voting began, with attacks reported on BNP and other opposition activists. Those targeted were said to have received no assistance when they sought help.

The one-sided 2024 general election took place under General SM Shafiuddin Ahmed. With opposition parties boycotting, the poll faced a credibility crisis from the outset. Critics allege that in overseeing administration and security for the uncontested vote, the army effectively supported the incumbent government and helped project an appearance of normalcy on the ground.

The ninth national parliamentary election in 2008 also remains mired in allegations. It later emerged that factions within the military-backed caretaker government allegedly helped shape the electoral process. Held under a prolonged state of emergency, military-backed caretaker rule and tight controls on political activity, the poll recorded an anomalous voter turnout of more than 87 percent. How such a figure was possible remains a central source of scepticism and debate. At the same time, allegations have periodically surfaced that the military intelligence agency DGFI played a role in creating a favourable environment for preferred candidates. One of the most contentious decisions was the redrawing of parliamentary constituency boundaries, which critics say could significantly alter the balance of political competition and outcomes.

Taken together, public perceptions of the army’s role have been shaped by its involvement in four national elections — 2008, 2014, 2018 and 2024. Many analysts now see the upcoming poll as a potential “rehabilitation moment” for the force. They argue that if, within the revised legal framework, the army can demonstrate genuinely effective and impartial performance this time, it may be able to rebuild its public standing and move beyond past controversies.

At an election rally in Thakurgaon on February 5, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said: “The army wants a neutral election, the people want it and we political parties also want a neutral election. Therefore, the possibility is much higher this time for a good election to be held.”

Ahead of the eighth national parliamentary election in 2001, the Representation of the People Order (RPO) was amended. For the first time, the armed forces were included in the definition of law enforcement agencies, granting the army specific powers not merely as an auxiliary force but as a law enforcement agency during elections. After coming to power following the ninth national election in 2008, the Awami League government removed the armed forces from the RPO’s definition of law enforcement agencies. The current interim government has since amended the RPO again to reinstate them within that definition.

Jasmine Tuli, a former member of the Electoral Reform Commission and a former additional secretary of the Election Commission, told journalists: “The army’s effective role is crucial to ensuring a fair election. Its presence and immediate action in securing polling centres, ensuring an environment where voters can exercise their voting right without fear, protecting candidates and agents, and swiftly controlling any perceived irregularity or violence will be key to keeping the election peaceful and orderly.” She added that through professionalism and proper conduct of duty, the army is expected to facilitate a successful democratic transition.