Bangladesh’s interim government has ordered the withdrawal of half of the army personnel deployed across the country, a move widely seen as a return to proper civilian authority in law enforcement.
Brig. Gen. Dewan Mohammad Monzur Hossain, Director of the Military Operations Directorate, said Tuesday the army has received the directive and will act on it while ensuring stability. “We will take necessary measures keeping the law and order situation in consideration,” he told reporters at a Dhaka Cantonment briefing.
Officials said the decision, made by the Core Committee on Law and Order, calls for 50 percent of deployed soldiers to return to their bases for rest and election-related training. They will later be redeployed in phases ahead of the upcoming national polls.
Analysts praised the interim government for reaffirming civilian primacy in domestic security, noting that the military’s voluntary compliance demonstrates institutional discipline.
For the past 15 months, the army had supported civil authorities in recovering missing weapons and arresting thousands of suspected criminals. Brig. Gen. Monzur said the force remains committed to assisting the Election Commission in ensuring a free and peaceful vote — within a framework led by civilian institutions.