Home Affairs Adviser Lieutenant General (retired) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury has said that the government will deploy 418 drones across Bangladesh to strengthen security during the upcoming 13th parliamentary elections.
He made the announcement after a core committee meeting on law enforcement held at the Ministry of Home Affairs on Monday, January 19.
“Of the 418 drones, 200 will be operated by the Army, 16 by the Navy, 100 by the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), 50 by the Police, 20 by the Coast Guard, 16 by the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), and 16 by the Bangladesh Ansar and Village Defence Party,” Jahangir said.
Canine units from the respective forces will also be deployed to maintain election security.
Highlighting the “Election Security App–2026”, developed by the National Telecommunication Monitoring Centre (NTMC), he said the app will connect law enforcement agencies, returning officers, assistant returning officers, and the Home Ministry’s central control room to enable real-time reporting and rapid response to law and order incidents.
To ensure smooth transport of ballots, election materials, and personnel in remote areas, helicopters from the Bangladesh Air Force will be deployed. Law enforcement agencies have been instructed to promptly arrest anyone attempting to disrupt or obstruct the election process.
In the lead-up to the polls, security forces will conduct intensive four-day nationwide patrols, with special focus on riverine and hard-to-reach areas.
Coordinated operations among the different forces aim to ensure a safe, secure, and impartial election environment, he added.
TT/MHK