Online Desk : More than 1.5 lakh police personnel will undergo specialised training to ensure security and maintain law and order during Bangladesh’s upcoming national elections scheduled for February next year, officials said on Friday.

Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Quazi Zia Uddin, who oversees human resources development at the Police Headquarters (PHQ), said the initiative aims to ensure a "free, fair, neutral, and peaceful" election.

“We will impart all the necessary training to 1.5 lakh or more police personnel,” DIG Uddin told BSS, expressing confidence that the polls would become a landmark event in the country’s democratic history.

Comprehensive training modules prepared

DIG Uddin said the HR department has developed nine training modules over the past three months, incorporating input from election experts and legal professionals.

Describing the curriculum as “wonderful,” he credited the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and Additional IGP for HR for their leadership in shaping the programme.

“We expect the training will equip our personnel to respond effectively to any law and order situation that may arise during the elections,” he added.

Nationwide training rollout

Police will use 130 smaller and four major training centres across the country to conduct the training sessions. As part of the programme, the PHQ has produced two training films — a 15-minute audiovisual presentation and a nine-minute feature — along with an informative booklet to be used as core learning materials, BSS reports.

From August 31 to September 2, 150 master trainers were trained at PHQ in Dhaka. Plans are underway to train an additional 1,292 trainers across 19 police training centres in the coming weeks.

These trainers will later be responsible for educating over 1.5 lakh frontline personnel on how to manage election duties professionally and impartially.

“All trainers will receive real-time training through mock scenarios that simulate possible election-related incidents,” DIG Uddin said, noting that the exercises are designed to ensure “blanket security” during the polls.

Formal launch expected soon

The Police Headquarters is expected to formally launch the training programme later this week at Rajarbagh Police Lines in Dhaka.