Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Sheikh Md Sajjat Ali on Monday said they have put in place extensive security arrangements to ensure the national election and referendum scheduled for February 12 are held in a free, fair and peaceful manner.
Briefing reporters at the DMP Media Centre, the DMP commissioner said a ‘foolproof’ security plan had been prepared and would be implemented with professionalism and neutrality.
“We are working with dedication and sincerity. We want to set an example by ensuring a meaningful and widely acceptable election, overcoming the stigma associated with the misuse of law enforcement in past polls,” he said.
The commissioner said the police would focus on maintaining law and order in electoral areas, ensuring security inside polling centres, protecting election officials and materials, safeguarding the offices of returning officers and enabling voters to cast their ballots without obstruction.
He said peace at polling centres would be maintained through mobile and striking teams, while at least one police officer equipped with a body-worn camera would be deployed at sensitive centres.
Joint operations and checkpoints would be carried out with other law enforcement agencies, and security would be provided to candidates and other election-related individuals.
Despite limited resources and manpower, he said, the DMP was determined to deliver a “flawless and acceptable” election.
For real-time monitoring, body-worn cameras will be used, while 180 striking teams and 510 mobile teams will be deployed across the capital. Eight control rooms have been set up across DMP’s eight crime divisions, along with four additional special control rooms.
Special Reserve Force units will be stationed at strategic locations under the direct supervision of senior officers and will be mobilised rapidly if required. Elite units, including SWAT, the Bomb Disposal Unit, Dog Squad, Crime Scene Vans and mounted police, will also remain on standby.
37 Dhaka polling centres under risk watch: DMP Commissioner
Calling on city residents to participate, the DMP mcommissioner urged voters to come to polling centres ‘fearlessly and peacefully’ to exercise their civic rights.
On risk assessment, Sajjat Ali said polling centres in Dhaka had been categorised as ‘important’ and ‘general’ in line with Election Commission guidelines.
A total of 1,614 centres have been identified as important and 517 as general. An additional 37 centres in hard-to-reach areas, including Kamrangirchar, Satarkul and Beraid, have been placed under special arrangements, with seven police officers to be deployed at each.
Addressing concerns about possible threats, the commissioner said there was no security risk at present and that the overall law and order situation in Dhaka was “better than normal”.
“There is no crime, no road blockade,” Sajjat Ali said, adding that law and order in the capital remained stable despite a population of about 36.6 million.
On the issue of police neutrality, the DMP commissioner said that during his 15 months in office, the force had not worked in favour of any political party, and that its conduct reflected professional impartiality.
He also said the security plan included protection for journalists, doctors, engineers and other professionals.
Assuring media workers of their safety, he said there were no concerns regarding journalists’ security during the election period.