Bangladesh Election security tightened for first post-2024 Vote
Bangladesh is preparing for its 13th general election under an extensive Bangladesh election security operation, the first national vote since the 2024 uprising that ended the long rule of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and forced her into exile.
Authorities say more than 157,000 police officers, supported by around 100,000 soldiers and thousands of additional personnel, will be deployed across the country to safeguard Thursday’s polls. Nearly 127 million voters are eligible to cast ballots in what many see as a decisive political moment.
Three major political parties will contest the elections. They are the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP),
11-party alliance headed by Jamaat-e-Islami,
The coalition also includes the newly formed National Citizen Party (NCP), created by leaders of the 2024 uprising.
Alongside the parliamentary vote, citizens will participate in a referendum on political reforms, including limits on the prime minister’s tenure, stronger checks on executive authority, and measures to prevent the concentration of power.
Security concerns dominate preparations
Election Commissioner Abul Fazal Muhammad Sanaullah said surveillance cameras had been installed in more than 90 per cent of the country’s 299 constituencies. Voting in one of the 300 seats has been postponed following the death of a candidate.
Police chief Baharul Alam noted that more than half of the nation’s 42,000 polling stations have been classified as vulnerable to unrest. According to police assessments, over 24,000 centres are considered either high-risk or moderately risky due to potential violence, ballot tampering or intense political rivalry.
Some polling sites are in remote locations, and competition between candidates has heightened tensions, Alam said. He added that about 1,300 police firearms looted during the 2024 unrest remain unrecovered.
To strengthen Bangladesh election security, officers will conduct patrols with body-worn cameras at high-risk centres for the first time.
Police records show that five people were killed and more than 600 were injured in political clashes during the campaign period from December 11 to February 9. Rights group Ain o Salish Kendra reported that 158 people were killed and more than 7,000 were injured in political violence between August 2024 and December 2025.
Transparency International Bangladesh also warned about law-and-order concerns, accusing political groups of forming mobs and setting up roadblocks.
Alam acknowledged lingering distrust toward the police but said the force was committed to ensuring a peaceful vote.
Millions travel to vote
The interim administration, led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, has declared three days of public holiday for the election.
Thousands of people, including factory workers, have been returning to their hometowns to vote, especially as public transport will face restrictions on polling day. Some voters reported difficulty securing travel tickets because of the surge in demand.
The election rush has also triggered traffic congestion on major highways connecting Dhaka with other regions, according to local media.
Of the nearly 127 million eligible voters, about a quarter are first-time voters—many of whom took part in the protests of July and August 2024. They are now seeking political and administrative change.
Expectations are high that the vote could help restore democratic norms after years of disputed elections and shrinking political space. The Yunus-led interim government has promised a fair and credible process.
In a televised address, Yunus urged citizens to participate, calling the election a chance to end years of limited voting rights. He said the outcome of the election and the reform referendum would shape the country’s future political structure and warned of strict action against any attempts to disrupt the vote.
