Election to improve country’s stability, law and order: AHQ

The Bangladesh Army shares the people’s desire for a free, fair, and impartial election in accordance with the government’s outlined roadmap and it also hopes that the forthcoming election will lead to improved stability and a return to normal law and order, enabling the armed forces to withdraw to their cantonments.

Lieutenant General Md Mainur Rahman, General Officer Commanding of the Army Training and Doctrine Command, made the remarks during a press briefing at Army Headquarters on Wednesday, November 5.

He affirmed that, like the people of Bangladesh, the army supports the holding of a free, fair, and impartial election in accordance with the government’s stated roadmap, which includes a clear timeframe. “We hope that after the election, the country’s stability will improve, the law and order situation will gradually normalise, and the army will be able to return to the cantonment,” he said.

General Mainur noted that the army has been deployed in support of the civilian administration for the past 15 months—a period he described as exceptionally challenging. “Bangladesh does not face such a situation every day,” he said. “Our personnel have carried out their duties with the utmost professionalism despite very difficult and adverse conditions.”

He acknowledged the strain the prolonged deployment has placed on military readiness. “One of the army’s core responsibilities in peacetime is to prepare for war. As we say, ‘We train as we fight.’ But being deployed for 15 months has significantly disrupted our training schedule,” he explained. “If we must remain deployed until the election—or slightly beyond—we will do so. But we are eager to resume normal operations as soon as possible.”

General Mainur added that the army is making targeted preparations based on the government’s election outline, with current training efforts focused on anticipated election-time responsibilities.

“We want a fair election to take place without delay,” he concluded. “Only then can both the nation and the armed forces return to stability.”