Though the election schedule is declared, the police will not hesitate to arrest people accused in criminal cases. Meanwhile, the police will do everything to ensure law and order. Decisions in this regard was taken at a meeting held at the police headquarters presided by IGP, Javed Patwary.

Distribution of forces and overall management of elections were also discussed.

Meanwhile, on Thursday, Chief Election Commissioner, CEC, Nurul Huda, ordered the police not to arrest anyone without any warrant and refrain from harassing people.

CEC also asked to police to have a strategic approach so its performance is not under question.

The demand of the Jatiya Oikya Front to have a list of seventy police officers to be submitted to the EC was also raised at the meeting held at the police HQ.

One DIG told Bangla Tribune: “we do not work for any party; we listen to the government and work to prevent sedition, subversion and violence.”

Police HQ sources say that at the meeting, directives were given regarding the maintenance of law and order prior to election, recovery of illegal weapons, bar on the carrying and showing of legal weapons, security at voting centres and other issues.

Police communication section AIG, Md. Sohel Rana, told Bangla Tribune: “overall election time security management was discussed with leading police officials across the country so they would not have to come to Dhaka again.”

Khulna Range DIG, Didar Ahmed, told Bangla Tribune: “the meeting gave us directives to align our work as per the orders of the Election Commission for holding a free, fair and neutral polls.”

“Decision was taken to add impetus to the drive to recover illegal weapons.”