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Home Adviser Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury has said armed Ansar personnel will be deployed to protect presiding officers during the upcoming parliamentary polls.
On Sunday, he stressed that the Ansar, a paramilitary auxiliary force, plays “the most important role" during elections.
“This time we are doing something different… Often, people try to attack [presiding officers], so we are ensuring an armed guard so no one can harm them.”
His comments follow Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus’s announcement that the national election will be held before Ramadan in February.
Yunus’s office has sent a directive to the Election Commission to prepare for the election. Law enforcement readiness for a fair and free election has since come into focus.
Claiming law and order had improved since last year's government changeover, Jahangir said earlier issues such as police absenteeism, Ansar unrest, and inactive forces were no longer present.
“We may not have reached our ideal level yet, but we have achieved a certain standard and still have time,” he added.
On concerns over election violence, he said maintaining peace was not solely the responsibility of law enforcement.
“The main role lies with those contesting the election, the Election Commission, the administration, and the people, who must come to vote.”
He also announced that a reward would be offered in the next few days for information on weapons looted or lost during the July Uprising.
“Around 700 weapons are still to be recovered,” he said.