DHAKA, Jan 5, 2026 (BSS) - Bangladesh Army today reaffirmed its “full preparedness” to help conduct the next week’s national elections and referendum in a fair, free and peaceful manner.

Military’s operations director Brigadier General Dewan Mohammad Monzur Hossain at a media briefing said the army troops were already carrying out extensive activities at the field level as they tool all-out preparations to play its role during the polls and the plebiscite.

Talking to newsman at the Roller Skating Complex adjacent to the National Football Stadium at Gulistan area he said the army intended to make media aware that about its preparedness, deployment and ongoing activities during the election period.

Army chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman earlier inspected the activities of the army deployed under the ‘In Aid to Civil Power’ at the National Football Stadium and exchanged views with civil administration when military officials were present..

Civil administrative and police and law enforcement officials of Dhaka metropolitan area, Dhaka divisional and district administration officials discussed about inter-institutional coordination and overall security arrangements to ensure peace and smoothness in conducting the polls.

The army chief put special emphasis on performing duties through professionalism, impartiality, discipline, patience and citizen-friendly behaviour.

The military operations director said Bangladesh Army increased its troops deployment from 35,000 to 50,000 on January 10 and later deployed 100,000 troops from January 20 since it is very important to keep the law and order situation under control in the pre-election phase.

He said 5,000 navy sailors and 3,730 men from air force personnel are deployed as part of the operations plan along with to paramilitary BGB, police, RAB and Ansar personnel.

In previous elections the number of army troops deployed was as high as 42,000.

The military operations chief said the armed forces were carrying out regular patrols, joint operations and surveillance activities setting up 544 makeshift camps were set up in 411 upazilas in 62 districts and metropolitan areas.

Monzur said as directed by the Election Commission (EC), the home ministry, being the lead ministry to oversee security, issued a circular specifying responsibilities and roles of the armed forces.

He said under the security drives seizure of illegal weapons increased significantly, while in just 14 days since January 20, about 150 arms were recovered, most of which are locally-made weapons and foreign pistols alongside a large amount of ammunition, crude bombs and bomb-making equipment.

The official said four foreign pistols and 10 grenade-like hand bombs were recovered in a special joint operation conducted in Bagharpara upazila of Jashore on January 31.

Bangladesh Army, he said, so far recovered 10,152 arms and 291,000 ammunitions and arrested 22,282 identified terrorists and miscreants and handed them over to police.

Hossain said the army chief in his view exchange meetings with stakeholders clearly highlighted two issue – the military’s support assurance to the civil administration and law enforcement agencies involved in election duties and secondly to boost people’s confidence about the security.

Waker, he said, gave a clear message that the government, the EC, the civil administration, the law enforcement agencies and the Armed Forces were jointly committed to organize a free and peaceful election.

Hossain said military helicopters and water vessels will remain ready to transport election-related personnel or equipment to remote and risky areas on and after the voting day.

Army, Navy and Air Force helicopters will be deployed in advance at various places across the country to deal with emergency situations, he said.

The military operations chief said the use of technology in this election appeared more important than ever before while police’s body-worn cameras in risky centres and drones and other protection apps would be used in countering quickly any adverse situation.

"There may be attempts to spread false and misleading information to create panic among voters, incite them to boycott the vote, and make candidates or institutions questionable," he said.

Hossain sought media cooperation in preventing such misinformation and mentioned that publishing timely, objective and fact-based news will make it possible to easily deal with propaganda.

Replying to another query, the army officer said considering the Chittagong Hill Tracts and Rohingya camp areas as sensitive, a special threat assessment was conducted in those areas and specific instructions were given to the concerned units.

“The army has completed its own threat assessment keeping in mind the possible situation before and after the elections and deployment plans have been taken accordingly,” he said.