With a view to ensuring a free, fair, impartial and peaceful election ahead of the 13th National Parliament Election and Referendum-2026, an important election preparatory rally was held in Gazipur at the initiative of Bangladesh Ansar and Village Defense Force.

The main theme of the rally was to highlight the force’s strong position in protecting the democratic process through election security, professionalism and technology-based management.

The force’s Director General, Major General Abdul Motaleb Sajjad Mahmud, was present as the chief guest. In addition to their direct presence in Gazipur, Ansar-VDP members in charge of election duties in Narayanganj district also participated in the rally through a giant screen.

In his directional speech at the rally, the Director General emphasized on utmost professionalism, impartiality and discipline in carrying out election duties. He urged all members to stand firm like a rock and prevent any kind of chaos, irregularities, ballot box snatching, fake votes or political influence while performing their duties at the polling station.

He said, “Ensure maximum use of modern technology including the election security app and report any untoward incident immediately, so that the patrol team can reach the spot quickly and take control of the situation.” He also said that out of the 13 Ansar-VDP members assigned to each polling station, two members will submit immediate reports directly through the election security app.

Upazila Ansar and VDP officials will serve as responders and a strong observer team from the district commandant to the Ansar-VDP headquarters will be on constant watch. He strongly stated that as a result of this arrangement, there will be no opportunity to influence the election by creating any kind of chaos at the polling station.

The Director General further said, “Considering their ability to perform their duties for a long time, only physically fit, trained and smart members have been selected for this election duty. ” He emphasized, “It is the main duty of all members to properly protect the sacred responsibility entrusted by the state and the people’s trust by keeping the flag of the country and the army high.”

At the same time, he said, Ansar-VDP is not limited to election-time duties only; rather, it is a large and promising force that is always ready to serve any need of the state as a voluntary force, which is making an important contribution to national needs through coordination with various ministries and government institutions.

In the final part of the rally, the Director General expressed the hope that Ansar-VDP members will further strengthen public trust in the democratic process in the future by setting an example of professionalism, honesty and impartiality. He expressed optimism that a free and peaceful election will be possible through united efforts and technology-based management.

This preparatory gathering has further consolidated the security arrangements for the election period and has also highlighted the importance of Ansar-VDP’s role in maintaining state stability, protecting democracy, and maintaining law and order—the far-reaching impact of which will establish this force as a more reliable force to deal with any future national crisis.