Candidates of the Khagrachhari-298 parliamentary constituency have demanded that the army be deployed with magistracy powers three days before the election to ensure maximum security at 68 high-risk polling centers. The demand was made on Thursday at a press conference organized under the banner of the Khagrachhari Lawyers’ Association, where BNP candidate Abdul Wadud Bhuiyan read a written statement. Three other candidates—Mithila Roaja of Jatiya Party, Dinmoy Roaja of Ganoparishad, and Md. Nurul Islam of Insoniyat Biplob Bangladesh—were also present.

According to the statement, law enforcement and intelligence agencies have identified 121 of the 203 polling centers in Khagrachhari as risky, including 68 marked as “red” for being highly vulnerable. The candidates alleged that armed groups are intimidating voters, obstructing campaigns, and attempting to influence votes in favor of preferred candidates. They also claimed these groups disrupted past elections and are now trying to destabilize the upcoming polls.

The six-point demand includes increased mobile patrols in remote areas, strict security per polling center, community confidence-building, monitoring social media for rumors, and immediate legal action against offenders.