Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal is set to meet President Mohammed Shahabuddin at the Bangabhaban today to seek approval for army deployment during the upcoming general elections.
Election Commission Secretary Jahangir Alam will accompany Awal during the meeting, sources at the commission confirmed on Saturday.
About seven lakh law enforcement personnel have already been confirmed to ensure order during the polls. The force includes 5.16 lakh ansar members, nearly 1.83 lakh police and RAB members, about 47,000 BGB personnel, and 2,350 coastguard members.
On December 11, election officials discussed the field presence of the army during the national vote with the Principal Staff Officer of the Armed Forces Division, Waqar-uz-Zaman.
It was primarily agreed that the army would be deployed for 13 days from December 29 to January 10, Waqar-uz-Zaman confirmed at a post-meeting press conference.
In this regard, the Election Commission was expected to make a formal plea to the president for approval.
Waqar-uz-Zaman said on December 11 that if the armed forces were deployed, they would extend all kinds of support.
