In view of the national election on 7 January, Bangladesh has beefed up security in all districts by deploying armed forces to assist the administration in holding the polls in a free, fair, and peaceful manner, an official statement said.
"Members of the armed forces will be stationed at nodal points and other places in every district, sub-district and metropolitan area," said the statement issued by the Inter-Service Public Relations (ISPR).
The armed forces will assist the Election Commission and local administration in conducting the polls and ensuring peace from 3 to 10 January.
Members of the Coast Guard, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) will be on election duty along with the armed forces, they added.
They said 19 districts, including Bhola and Barguna, would be looked after by the country's navy, while the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) would provide security in 45 adjoining upazilas.
The BGB and the Army would take care of 47 adjoining upazilas and coordinate with the Coast Guard in four coastal upazilas, the ISPR statement said, adding that the Bangladesh Air Force had been asked to provide helicopter support to the polling centres in the hill tracts.
A combined cell of the Armed Forces Division has also been formed. It will comprise law enforcers and representatives of various ministries and will be active till January 10, the official statement added.
Meanwhile, the country's main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), led by former Prime Minister Khalida Zia, is boycotting the polls as its demand for a non-partisan interim government to organise the polls has been rejected by Sheikh Hasina's government.