The New Nation - Internet Edition

Bdnews24.com, Dhaka

The army will be deployed in the upcoming upazila elections, as large numbers of security personnel will be needed for maintaining law and order in more than 300 upazilas, election commissioner M Sakhawat Hossain has said

"At least 8 to 9 lakh in manpower is required to maintain law and order in big elections like the upazila and national elections," he told bdnews24.com 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 says that any law enforcing official on election duty will have the same power of arrest without warrant as police, to maintain peace and discipline with 400 yards of any polling centre.

During the Aug 4 elections to four city corporations and nine municipalities, a three-tier security ring was maintained in the electoral areas with police, Ansar 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 will 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 are scheduled for December this year.