European Union Election Observation Mission has deployed 56 long-term observers across Bangladesh to monitor the country’s parliamentary elections scheduled for February 12. The observers have been stationed in all 64 districts as part of the EU’s long-term, nationwide assessment of the electoral process.
The deployment took place on Saturday following a briefing ceremony in Dhaka, where Deputy Chief Observer Inta Lase said the presence of long-term observers is a crucial component of the mission. She said their observations and findings would form the foundation of an impartial and evidence-based evaluation of the elections.
According to the EU Election Observation Mission, the long-term observers will work in teams of two and closely follow key aspects of the electoral process at the regional level. Their work will contribute to the analysis conducted by the mission’s core expert team based in Dhaka. The observers will engage with voters, election officials, political parties and candidates, as well as civil society representatives, citizen observers and youth activists. Their activities will cover not only major cities but also smaller towns and rural areas across the country.
The observers have been drawn from European Union member states, along with Canada, Norway and Switzerland. Before their deployment, they received detailed briefings on Bangladesh’s electoral framework, political environment, legal system, and media and social landscape to ensure informed and consistent observation.
The mission is being carried out following an invitation from the authorities of Bangladesh and is led by Chief Observer Ivars Ijabs, a Member of the European Parliament. He officially launched the EU Election Observation Mission at a press conference in Dhaka on January 11.
As polling day approaches, the mission will be strengthened by the arrival of 90 short-term observers. These will be joined by observers from diplomatic missions of EU member states, Canada, Norway and Switzerland to observe voting, counting and tabulation processes on election day. A delegation of Members of the European Parliament is also expected to join the mission during this phase.
At full strength, the EU Election Observation Mission will comprise around 200 observers drawn from all 27 EU member states, Canada, Norway and Switzerland. The mission is scheduled to present its preliminary findings at a press conference in Dhaka on February 14.
A final report, including recommendations aimed at improving future electoral processes in Bangladesh, will be submitted to the authorities after the completion of the entire election process. Both the preliminary findings and the final report will be made public and published on the mission’s official website.
EU officials said the mission operates under a strict code of conduct that requires neutrality, independence and non-interference. All observation activities are conducted in line with the Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation endorsed under United Nations auspices in 2005.
