Nearly 6 Lakh Ansar, VDP Members to Secure National Elections: CEC

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) A.M.M. Nasir Uddin announced today that nearly 6 lakh Ansar and Village Defence Party (VDP) members will be deployed nationwide to ensure security for the 13th national parliamentary election.

The CEC also said the force can play a "pioneering role" in tackling social media propaganda during the polls.

He was speaking as the chief guest at a polling station security drill and the closing ceremony of the fourth phase of basic training for Ansar personnel at the force's headquarters in the capital's Bhatara area.

Terming Ansar and VDP the "country's largest trained force", he highlighted their vast grassroots presence to raise public awareness and prevent rumours and misinformation.

Ansar and VDP Director General Maj Gen Abdul Motaleb Sajjad Mahmud, who presided over the event, affirmed the force's "highest preparation" for the election.

"We are prioritising training 18-25 year-olds for the polls. Among experienced members, only those with satisfactory intelligence reports will be assigned duty," the DG said.

During the event, 320 trained Ansar and VDP members demonstrated securing election materials, managing voter lines, preventing fraudulent votes, protecting presiding officers, and coordinating with army, BGB, RAB, and police in emergencies.

The DG noted Ansar Battalion members will serve as "Emergency Response Teams" in every district for adverse situations.

The 13th election, expected in early February 2026, will see expanded measures like postal voting for prisoners and expatriates. The CEC urged the force to uphold integrity for a peaceful, democratic polls.