Dhaka, Nov. 5 -- The Jamaat-e-Islami has demanded that, in the next national elections, armed forces be deployed alongside the existing law-enforcing machinery.

The demand was made during a meeting with the chief election commissioner on Wednesday afternoon.

After the meeting, Jamaat's Assistant Secretary General AHM Hamidur Rahman Azad told reporters: "We requested that registration for overseas voters be simplified without excessive documentation for postal ballots."

He added that the party also urged that a public referendum be held before the parliamentary elections, emphasising that the referendum should not be treated as secondary.

The Election Commission is preparing for the parliamentary elections scheduled before Ramadan in F...