Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Sheikh Md Sajjat Ali on Monday said that extensive security measures have been put in place in the capital centring the 13th national parliamentary election and the referendum.

Speaking at a briefing at the DMP Media Centre, the commissioner said a total of 25,000 trained police personnel have been deployed across the city to ensure law and order and a smooth electoral process.

He said there are 2,131 polling centres in Dhaka, of which 1,014 have been identified as important. Each of these centres will have four police members on duty. In addition, 37 centres have been marked as vulnerable, where seven police personnel will be deployed at each centre.

The DMP chief said the police are committed to maintaining neutrality during the election. “Moving away from the way police were used in past elections, we will perform our duties impartially and set an example,” he said.

Claiming that there is no security threat surrounding the election, Sheikh Md Sajjat Ali said the overall situation is better than usual. “The environment is good and satisfactory,” he added.

The police, he said, are fully prepared to ensure voters can cast their ballots peacefully and without fear.