Chief Adviser Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus has instructed the Ministry of Home Affairs to complete all necessary preparations for the national parliamentary elections by December. The directive was conveyed at a press conference held at 8:00 PM on Wednesday (July 9) at the Foreign Service Academy in Dhaka, where the Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam briefed the media following a review meeting on law and order surrounding the elections.
The Press Secretary stated, “The Chief Adviser has directed that all election-related preparations must be completed by December. A detailed discussion on the law and order situation in relation to the upcoming election took place during the nearly two-hour-long meeting. The Chief Adviser gave several important instructions during the session.”
He further informed that a decision has been made to recruit 17,000 new personnel to maintain law and order during the election. The new recruits will include personnel from the police, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), and the Coast Guard. The Chief Adviser has instructed that the recruitment and training process for these personnel must be completed within December.
Shafiqul Alam added, “All members of the law enforcement agencies must complete their training by December to ensure a free and fair election. Additionally, there was a discussion on whether separate polling booths can be arranged for voters aged between 18 and 32.”
He also mentioned that all relevant offices, including the Election Commission, have been urged to complete necessary reforms without delay. If everything proceeds according to plan, the national parliamentary election may be held before the beginning of Ramadan, the Chief Adviser hinted.
Deputy Press Secretary to the Chief Adviser, Abul Kalam Azad Majumdar, and Senior Assistant Press Secretary Fayez Ahmed were also present at the press conference.