Home Affairs Adviser Lt Gen (retd) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury on Monday (January 19, 2026) said some 8,97,117 members of law enforcement agencies will be deployed during the national election to ensure security.
The adviser disclosed the information while talking to reporters after a meeting of the Core Committee on Law and Order at the Secretariat.
A total of 42,761 polling centres will be set up for the election. Of them, 8,780 centres have been identified as highly risky while 16,548 as risky and 17,433 as general centres, he said.
Some 25,000 body-worn cameras will be used at highly vulnerable and risky polling centres, while preparations are underway to install CCTV cameras at every polling centre, said the adviser.
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To maintain law and order during the election, forces will be deployed across the country in two phases. The deployment in the first phase will continue as it is. In the second phase, deployment will be based at polling centers for seven days from February 8 to 14, he said.
The overall security coordination will remain under the supervision of the respective returning officers, Jahangir Alam added.Alongside the police, Ansar and VDP members, Army, Navy, Air Force, BGB, Coast Guard and RAB members under ‘in aid to civil power’ will be deployed during the election.
Besides, law-and-order coordination cells will be formed at both central and local levels with members from police, BGB, RAB, Coast Guard and members of armed forces ahead of the election, he said.
Special teams will be formed under the national emergency service number 999 and linked to the coordination cells. All complaints received will be forwarded immediately to the Home Ministry and the relevant local coordination cells, he said.
Noting that law enforcement personnel are being trained for election duty for the first time, the adviser said the training will be completed by January 20.
To strengthen surveillance, 418 drones will be used during the election, operated jointly by the Army, Navy, Police, BGB, Coast Guard, RAB and Ansar.
Dog squads of different forces will also be deployed.
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Besides, ‘Surokkha’ app, developed by the National Telecommunication Monitoring Centre (NTMC), will play the most effective role in election security management. Through the app, law and order-related complaints will be received instantly and prompt action will be taken, said the adviser.
The government has taken a decision to use Air force helicopters to transport ballots and election materials to the remote and char areas, he said.
Beside, instructions have been given to quickly arrest those who tried to obstruct the election, while intensive patrolling will be carried out across the country for four days ahead of the polls, said Jahangir.
Referring to the progress of Operation Devil Hunt Phase-2, the adviser said 19,854 people were arrested between December 13 and January 17.
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During this period, 346 firearms, 2,191 rounds of bullets, 722 cartridges and a large quantity of illegal arms and explosives were recovered, he said.
Any attempt to obstruct the election or deteriorate the law and order situation will be dealt with strictly, he said.