As part of the survey, local police administrations have started collecting information about the results of the last three parliamentary elections and position of all aspirant candidates to analyse the present situation and forecast for the next election.

Although different governments earlier used the police to serve their own interest, this move by the ruling four-party coalition surpasses in magnitude all previous incidents of political use of the key law enforcement agency.

It is a common practice of the governments to use intelligence agencies for such political purpose, but it is for the first time that the police have been given such a political task.

Till date, ruling parties have usually used the police to foil the opposition's political programmes, harass their leaders and activists, file false cases against them and manipulate the investigation into the cases, and save their own leaders and activists.

A home ministry letter sent to all district superintendents of police (SPs) last week asked for detailed analyses of the results of the last three general elections, deficiencies of the defeated candidates and the positive sides of the victorious ones in order to weigh up its own position.

A number of SPs told The Daily Star that they received such letters with no signs and memo number.

Sources said the government has engaged the police with the survey as it cannot completely trust the party men. Policemen have been tasked with collecting grassroots-level information since the ruling party believes its workers had earlier misguided it.

After receiving the letters, the SPs briefed and sent messages to officers-in-charge (OCs) of the police stations in their districts.

According to reports from different parts of the country, policemen have started collecting information on centre-wise results of the elections held in 1991, 1996 (June 12) and 2001, aspirant candidates for the upcoming election and their popularity in their constituencies, rise of voters in each polling area, and existing and new polling stations.

When contacted, a district election officer told The Daily Star yesterday that local police officers are visiting upazila election offices and collecting necessary information.

"Some upazila election officers in my district have confirmed me about it. When asked why they are collecting the information, the policemen said they have been ordered by the high officials," the district election officer said on condition of anonymity.

Meantime, most OCs designated sub-inspectors and assistant sub-inspectors, many with no clear political knowledge, to collect field-level information.

It was learnt that some OCs do not even know who secured the second position in the last parliamentary election let alone the other candidates. "Now the police officials are talking to different party leaders and workers and common people to know the results of the previous elections and other required information," said an OC.

Many SPs described the task as "a naked attempt to use the police force for one's own political purpose" but said they have no alternative to complying with the order.

"The job not only serves the interest of a particular party, it will also consume a lot of time," an SP said on condition of anonymity.

Talking to The Daily Star yesterday, some SPs expressed apprehension of political harassment if a new government comes to power. "The next government, if it is not the ruling one, may feel we served the interest of the BNP-led coalition government by conducting the survey and take punitive action against us," said an SP.

He, like some others, is pondering not to sign in the survey result while sending it to the government.

Some district-level police officials pointed out that the government may also feel annoyed if it receives reports that shows its position weak in some areas.