Chief Adviser orders armed forces to remain on highest alert to ensure fair polls

Chief adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus has said the referendum and national parliamentary elections scheduled for February 12 are a critical turning point for Bangladesh’s democratic future, and ensuring a free, fair, neutral and festive electoral environment during this sensitive period is of utmost importance.

He made the remarks on Monday, January 26, while addressing a meeting with senior officials of the armed forces at the Armed Forces Division headquarters.

Dr Yunus said the government is hopeful that the armed forces, as a symbol of public trust, will once again carry out their assigned duties with professionalism, neutrality and responsibility.

At the beginning of the meeting, the chief adviser paid deep tribute to the martyrs of the Liberation War and the July–August mass uprising, and gratefully acknowledged the armed forces’ role in safeguarding peace and stability.

He said the role played by the armed forces in controlling the law and order situation in the post-fascism period would be remembered in the nation’s history.

Dr Yunus described the referendum and parliamentary elections as a highly significant juncture for the country’s democratic transition. A nation long deprived of voting rights expressed its aspiration to reclaim ownership of the state through the July uprising of 2024, and casting votes in this election will be the ultimate expression of that aspiration, he said.

He said through the referendum, people will express their views on shaping the future state system, while through the parliamentary election they will choose capable representatives to implement those views. For this reason, the importance of the election is greater than at any time in the past, he added.

Dr Yunus said a large number of young voters will be voting for the first time, while many older citizens were deprived of voting rights for a long period. In such a situation, ensuring a fear-free and festive voting environment is a shared responsibility, and in the country’s overall context the armed forces are a vital partner in fulfilling this duty.

He expressed confidence that a capable, professional, neutral and people-oriented Bangladesh Armed Forces would successfully shoulder this responsibility and play a decisive role in delivering a free, fair and festive election.

A free, fair and acceptable election is the foundation of a democratic state, the chief adviser said, urging the armed forces to extend maximum support to the administration and the Election Commission so that every citizen can exercise their voting rights without fear or influence.

He gave clear instructions to the top military leadership, saying all field-level decisions must be lawful, restrained and responsible, and called for the highest level of caution so that even minor deviations do not undermine public trust.

Senior officers from the army, navy and air force, along with invited guests, were present at the meeting.