Dhaka, Feb. 9 -- The government has appointed 655 judges as judicial magistrates for deployment across Bangladesh to ensure swift justice for various offences surrounding the 13th parliamentary elections and referendum.

They will begin serving in different constituencies from Tuesday. They will remain in the field until Feb 14, two days after election day.

The Election Commission (EC) appointed the magistrates in a notice issued on Tuesday.

The EC says they will take cognisance of election-related crimes and complete trials in a summary manner, as per the Representation of the People Order, 1972 (RPO).

The notice says magistrates will be able to take action in accordance with the provisions of "The Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898" ov...