Rajshahi, Broadcasting News Corporation: Lieutenant General (Retd.) Md. Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, Advisor to the Ministry of Home Affairs, has instructed the officers and law enforcement personnel deployed for the upcoming national parliamentary elections to prioritize public safety and welfare while performing their duties.

The advisor gave this instruction on Wednesday (February 4, 2026) in his speech as the chief guest at a law and order discussion meeting organized by the Rajshahi divisional administration at the Rajshahi Prison Training Center auditorium, aimed at ensuring the smooth conduct of the 13th National Parliamentary Election and Referendum-2026.

Addressing the officers and law enforcement personnel deployed for the election, the chief guest said that everyone must perform their duties with complete impartiality in the national election. No one can be involved in implementing any personal, group, or political agenda. The advisor stated that in the election, the focus should be on law, regulations, public safety, public service, and public welfare. He said that integrity, competence, and professionalism will be the main strength of this election. Those who engage in unethical actions, act unjustly out of greed, evade responsibilities, or neglect their duties will face strict measures. Similarly, candidates or their representatives must completely refrain from giving or receiving any money or other benefits, and this must be strictly maintained. They cannot even accept any kind of food.

Addressing the returning and assistant returning officers, the advisor said that every polling station, including the voting booths, must be prepared in a transparent and election-friendly manner. Necessary measures must be taken to ensure that the main routes to the polling stations are smooth and accessible. He also said that the security of ballot boxes and election materials must be ensured and that these should reach the polling stations on time. In short, all necessary assistance and logistical support related to the elections must be ensured.

In his speech, expressing a positive outlook on a fair election, Home Secretary Nasimul Ghani said that the 2024 mass uprising has turned a new page in our history, providing an opportunity to build a new Bangladesh free of inequality and full of harmony. He stated that it is our moral responsibility as government employees to perform our duties with honesty, efficiency, and sincerity. Anyone who shirks responsibility in their duties will be accountable not only to their own conscience but also to the people. The senior secretary expressed optimism that through the joint efforts of all concerned, a free, fair, impartial, and festive election could be delivered.

The event, chaired by Home Ministry Senior Secretary Nasimul Ghani, featured special addresses by DG of BGB Major General Mohammad Ashrafuluzaman Siddiqui, DG of RAB AKM Shahidur Rahman, and Additional IGP (Crime and OPS) of Bangladesh Police Khandkar Rafiqul Islam. The welcome speech at the discussion meeting was delivered by the Divisional Commissioner of Rajshahi.

In the exchange of views meeting, all Deputy Commissioners, Superintendents of Police, Upazila Executive Officers, regional, district, and upazila election officers, and Officer-in-Charge of police stations, representatives from the Armed Forces Division and BGB of Rajshahi Division, as well as all Deputy Police Commissioners and Officers-in-Charge of police stations of Rajshahi Metropolitan Police, along with officials from various levels, participated.

Later, in a briefing to journalists, the Home Advisor said that, similar to Khulna Division, the election preparations in Rajshahi Division are also good. In response to a question from journalists regarding election-related violence, he said that apart from a few isolated incidents, election violence is much lower compared to previous times. The election environment is pleasant and good. He also said that in this election, the highest number of nearly 900,000 members of law enforcement agencies will be deployed. Among them, the Bangladesh Army will deploy 100,000, the Bangladesh Navy 5,000, the Bangladesh Air Force 3,730 (primer land force—1,250), Bangladesh Police 149,443, Bangladesh Ansar and Village Defense Party 576,314, and the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) 37,045.