Armed Ansar members will be deployed with presiding officers for the first time in Bangladesh’s electoral history to strengthen security during the upcoming national election, Home Affairs Adviser Lt Gen (retd) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury said on Tuesday.
“Ansar members will remain on election duty for nine days and will play a key role in ensuring peaceful conduct of the polls,” he said while inaugurating the Ansar Welfare Trust Transport Service at the Ansar and VDP headquarters in the capital’s Khilgaon area.
The adviser said Ansar and Village Defence Party (VDP) members will have the largest deployment in the 13th National Parliamentary Election and will make the biggest contribution to maintaining law and order during the polling period.
Each polling centre, he said, will have 13 Ansar personnel—three armed and ten unarmed. Of the unarmed members, six will be men and four women.
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Praising the force’s contributions, Lt Gen (retd) Jahangir Alam said Bangladesh Ansar and VDP have long been playing a vital role in maintaining national security, peace, and order, as well as supporting the country’s development efforts.
“To improve the living standards and welfare of the force members, it is our moral and state responsibility to ensure their well-being,” he added.
As part of ongoing welfare initiatives, the Ansar Welfare Trust has purchased 31 vehicles with its own funds. The fleet includes nine troop carriers, 14 covered vans, four 42-seater buses, two 24-seater minibuses and two ambulances.
The adviser said members of the country’s largest security force often face transport-related challenges when taking leave, going on tours, or attending to personal needs. “This new transport service has been launched to ease their travel difficulties and enhance convenience,” he said.
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The service will be operated with professionalism and efficiency, ensuring safe and reliable transport for all members with valid Ansar identification, he added.
Responding to a question on the recovery of illegal firearms, the adviser said such drives are continuing. “Illegal weapons are being recovered every day. It’s an ongoing process. As the election nears, more weapons will be confiscated,” he said.
Director General of Bangladesh Ansar and VDP Major General Abdul Motaleb Sazzad Mahmud and other senior officials were present at the event.