Bangladesh puts massive security cover in place for 13th parliamentary elections, referendum

The interim government has spread an unprecedented security blanket across Bangladesh for the upcoming 13th parliamentary elections and referendum in the country.

A massive security force of 800,000 personnel, sky-high drones and a modern 'security app' have all been announced as a flawless ring. This time, the army, navy, air force, along with police, BGB and Ansar members are performing their duties in a coordinated manner to maintain the law and order.

The number of army personnel has been increased step by step in Bangladesh to ensure a fair environment for the elections. While 35,000 army personnel were deployed on January 10, that number has been increased to 100,000 from January 20. In addition, 5,000 members of the navy and 3,730 members of the air force have been deployed for field level support.

According to the Dhaka Police Headquarters, 150,000 police personnel have been deployed across Bangladesh, including the capital Dhaka, for the upcoming elections. The force has already completed the necessary special training for election duty.

Although the interim government of Bangladesh has assured of comprehensive security, there are deep doubts and fears among security analysts about how much violence can be controlled in the end. In particular, questions have been raised about the current mental state and effectiveness of the police, one of the main law enforcement forces in Bangladesh.

When asked about the steps taken to prevent election-time violence, the highest level of the Bangladesh Police said that the police will be on the field with their full strength in the 13th National Parliament elections. However, given the political context of Bangladesh, the conflicts between candidates and supporters, and the experience of past violence, questions arise - how effective will this massive preparation of the police actually be? 

Reporter: Salim Reza, Dhaka