BSS //

Home Affairs Adviser Lieutenant General (Retd.) Md. Jahangir Alam Chowdhury has instructed the election officials and law enforcement officers to perform their duties with honesty, integrity and sincerity, keeping in mind the tragic consequences of fascism.

He gave this instruction as the chief guest at a law and order exchange meeting organized by the Khulna Divisional Administration on Wednesday (February 4) afternoon at the conference room of the Khulna Divisional Commissioner’s Office to conduct the ‘Thirteenth National Parliament Election and Referendum-2026’ smoothly.

BGB Director General Major General Mohammad Ashrafuzzaman Siddiqui, RAB (SIF) Director General AKM Shahidur Rahman and Additional IGP of Police Khandaker Rafiqul Islam spoke as special guests at the program chaired by Senior Secretary of the Home Ministry Nasimul Gani.

Khulna Divisional Commissioner Md. Mokhtar Ahmed delivered the welcome speech at the exchange of views. Khulna Range DIG Md. Rezaul Haque and Khulna Metropolitan Police Commissioner Mohammad Zahidul Hasan were present, among others.

The Home Affairs Advisor said that for the past 16 years, the seeds of fascism were sown through an opaque election process. The entire state machinery participated in this process through bias. Starting from the national elections to the local government elections, every structure was completely destroyed. People’s voting rights were taken away in a dictatorial process. As a result, dictatorship, autocracy, and a fascist structure were established.

The Advisor said that the students staged a mass uprising in 2024 to get rid of fascism. He said that some of the supporters, instigators, partisans, helpers, and direct participants of this process are known to many. They were part of the government machinery. Today, everyone is aware of the tragic fate of many of them. Many have been fired, many have fled, are in exile, are in jail, and are facing the courts of law.

Even their families and relatives are going through a difficult test today. The Home Affairs Advisor expressed hope that everyone concerned will understand the matter deeply and fulfill their responsibilities properly in the upcoming national elections on February 12.

Addressing the officials and members of the law enforcement agencies assigned to the elections, the Advisor said that the expectations of the entire people of this country, including political parties, are high regarding the national elections. The biggest responsibility lies on your shoulders to fulfill those expectations.

He said that with the cooperation of everyone involved in the elections, a standard will be set in the upcoming national elections, which will be appreciated not only in the country but also in the international arena. The Advisor urged the officials to be vigilant and careful so that the slightest mistake or deviation does not ruin the image of the elections and the country and does not lose the trust of the people.

Moreover, if there is any irregularity or ballot box snatching at any polling station, he warned of taking action against the concerned Returning Officer, Assistant Returning Officer, Presiding Officer and all those concerned. Md. Jahangir Alam Chowdhury said that a ‘Central Law and Order Coordination Cell’ has already been formed in the Home Ministry to monitor the overall situation of the election. Any complaint related to law and order during the election can be made to this cell. He said that there will be representatives of the law and order forces in this coordination cell. Through this, immediate exchange of information at every moment at the field level must be ensured, so that any emerging situation can be dealt with quickly.

The Home Affairs Advisor said that the use of the ‘Election Security App-2026’, which has been prepared by the National Telecommunication Monitoring Center (NTMC), will play the most effective role in controlling law and order in this election. Various law enforcement agencies, returning officers, assistant returning officers and the central control room of the Ministry of Home Affairs will be linked to it. The Advisor said that the app will play a role in immediately receiving complaints related to law and order and its quick redressal and control.

The Advisor also said that the issue of entry passes to election observers should be completed quickly and their free entry to the polling stations should be ensured. He said that the issue of identity cards to journalists should be ensured quickly. They can ask for various information about the election and the concerned polling stations. They should be provided full cooperation in this regard. He also said that the law and order situation and environment on the election day should be improved so that everyone can go to the polling stations and vote in a joyful and festive atmosphere.

The meeting was attended by all the Deputy Commissioners of Khulna Division, Superintendents of Police, Upazila Executive Officers, Regional, District and Upazila Election Officers and Officers-in-Charge of Police Stations of Khulna Division, representatives of the Armed Forces Division and BGB of Khulna Division, and all Deputy Police Commissioners and Officers-in-Charge of Police Stations of Khulna Metropolitan Police.

Later, in a briefing to journalists, the Home Affairs Advisor said that the election preparations of Khulna Division are good. Urging journalists to present true and objective news, he said that presenting misinformation or false news can disrupt the voting environment. He also said that three of these issues will play an important role in making the election fair, which was not possible in previous elections. They are the use of election information technology (body worn cameras, CCTV, drones, etc.), training of law enforcement agencies and the use of the ‘Election Protection App-2026’ developed by NTMC. The advisor expressed optimism that through the successful application and implementation of these, it will be possible to deliver a free, fair, impartial and festive election.

Stay connected with the news regularly.