Election commissioner Muhammed Sohul Hussain on Saturday said troops would be deployed on polls duty in aid of the civil administration to keep order during December 24–31 in connection with the December 29 general elections.

‘The army will remain deployed across the country from December 24 till December 31, two days after the elections, to ensure polls security,’ Sohul told reporters in his office.

He said the law enforcement agencies such as the Rapid Action Battalion, the police and the Ansars and the Bangladesh Rifles would continue to work as striking forces outside polling centres.

‘They will work outside booths on the polling day,’ he said, adding the security measure would be the same as was taken during elections in the past. He said the army during the period would act as reserve and striking forces.

According to commission officials, the home affairs ministry will take necessary measures to deploy the forces in line with the Election Commission’s plan for parliamentary elections.

The government on November 3, a day after the election schedules had been announced, relaxed the state of emergency to allow parties to participate in the election campaign.

It also called back the members of the Armed Forces from emergency duties from across the country.

Bangladesh has been under the state of emergency since January 2007 when the military-controlled caretaker government scrapped the elections plan and vowed to clean up the ‘notoriously corrupt politics.’