DHAKA: According to the request of the Election Commission, army personnel have been deployed across the country to maintain law and order and security of voters during the 10th parliament election.

Sources from the Election Commission (EC) said that the army is being deployed as striking force and help as per requests of the returning officer though they would not do any duty within the polling booth and will work till January 9.

From Wednesday evening, the army forces started to come out of different cantonments to go to districts of the country.

Magistrates also will be deployed along with the army.

Sources also said that some 800 army under a Lieutenant Colonel will be deployed in every district and two or three platoons (each platoon consisting of 35 members) for every upazila.

EC sources added that there will be a coordination cell along with the central monitoring cell of the election commission.

Some 550,000 law enforcement personnel and 50,000 armed forces member will be deployed across the country to maintain law and order situation during the election.

On December 20, after a meeting with law enforcers and returning officers, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmed came up with the declaration of army deployment.

BDST: 1142 HRS, DEC 26, 2013
Edited by: SM. Mostafijur Rahman Nasim, Newsroom Editor/ Rubaiat Saky, Senior Newsroom Editor