Zakir Hossain from Dhaka
The Bangladesh Army believes that the upcoming 13th parliamentary election, scheduled for February next year, will play a decisive role in restoring national stability and helping the country return to normalcy after over a year of political turbulence.
Addressing a press conference at the Officers’ Mess in Dhaka Cantonment on Wednesday, Lieutenant General Md Mainur Rahman, General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the Army Training and Doctrine Command (ARTDOC), said the army has been on continuous field duty for the past 15 months and now hopes for a fair and peaceful election that will allow its personnel to return to their cantonments.
“The army has been on field duty for 15 months. We want to see a fair and peaceful election take place so that we can return to our cantonments,” he said.
Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus has already announced that the election will be held in February 2026, and the Election Commission is proceeding with full preparations in coordination with all law enforcement agencies.
Lt Gen Mainur noted that despite a challenging period marked by political unrest, floods, and security threats, the army maintained order and discipline across the country. “Look back at the post–5 August period. For 15 years, the emotions that couldn’t be expressed suddenly erupted. During that time, the army worked on flood relief in Cumilla and Noakhali, responded to various public demands, and helped control road blockades. Without our presence, the situation could have deteriorated far more than anyone can imagine,” he said.
Dismissing what he described as “false and motivated propaganda” against the armed forces, he said, “Certain vested groups are carrying out false, fabricated, and intentional propaganda. The army is now more united than ever before. The responsibilities entrusted to us will be carried out with full commitment.”
Brigadier General Dewan Mohammad Monzur Hossain, Director of the Military Operations Directorate (MOD), confirmed that the army has received a government directive to withdraw 50% of its deployed members for rest and election-related training.
He said that over the past 15 months, the army had recovered 81% of missing weapons, 73% of missing ammunition, and arrested more than 19,000 criminals, including teenage gang members and extortionists. “Our bomb disposal teams neutralised over a hundred homemade bombs in the last two weeks,” he added.
Since the July 2024 Uprising, the army has also been providing medical assistance, treating 5,338 injured people at Combined Military Hospitals (CMHs), with 27 still under treatment in Dhaka.
Reaffirming the army’s commitment, Brig Gen Monzur said, “In war, in peace, we are everywhere for our country. Under the direction of the Chief of Army Staff, the army will extend all-out support to the Election Commission to ensure a free, fair and festive national election.”