A substantial number of foreign election observers will be present in Bangladesh for the upcoming 13th parliamentary elections, marking the most extensive international monitoring in nearly two decades.
Ninety short-term observers from the European union (EU) will begin fieldwork on Tuesday, ahead of the parliamentary election and referendum scheduled for 12 February. These observers form a core component of the EU Election Observation Mission (EU EOM), which comprises around 200 observers in total.
Among the countries and international organisations invited to observe the general election of Bangladesh, the European union stands out as the largest single contributor. The 27-member bloc is deploying the highest number of observers to monitor the voting.
In December, the Bangladesh election commission secretariat extended invitations to 30 countries and seven international organisations, including the EU, to observe the election.
The interim government, led by professor Muhammad Yunus, expects a large-scale presence of foreign observers for the first time in approximately 18 years.
Chief adviser’s press secretary Shafiqul Alam told journalists on Saturday that around 400 foreign observers are expected to monitor the election.
However, officials from the election commission (EC) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that, as of Sunday, at least 364 representatives from 23 countries and seven international organisations had formally confirmed their participation in election observation.
At a briefing in Dhaka in January, EU EOM chief observer Ivars Ijabs told journalists that, at full capacity, the mission would include around 200 observers drawn from the EU’s 27 member states, as well as Canada, Norway and Switzerland.
According to him, the mission consists of a core team of 11 analysts based in Dhaka, 56 long-term observers, and 90 short-term observers, who are being deployed shortly before polling day.
Observers from diplomatic missions of EU member states and partner countries are also included, he added.
In addition, an eight-member delegation from the European Parliament will join the mission, further strengthening its capacity, Ivars Ijabs said.
According to EC sources, after the EU EOM, the largest contingent of observers is being sent by the Asia-based organisation ANFREL (Asian Network for Free Elections), which is deploying 28 observers to Bangladesh.
The Washington-based International Republican Institute (IRI) is sending 19 representatives. Thirteen election observers from the Commonwealth have already arrived in Dhaka.
Among individual countries, Turkey is sending a 10-member delegation, including six members of parliament. Observers from China, Japan, Iran, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Malaysia and Indonesia are also taking part, alongside representatives from a total of 19 countries.
In addition, observers from four countries, including India, will be monitoring the election under the auspices of various institutions.
All foreign observers participating in this election will produce and present their own independent reports.
EU EOM chief election observer Ivars Ijabs has said that the mission will release a preliminary statement on 14 February, two days after polling, followed by a press conference in Dhaka.
A comprehensive final report, including recommendations for future elections, will be published and submitted to the relevant authorities approximately two months later, he added.
By contrast, foreign election observation was almost absent during the 10th, 11th and 12th parliamentary elections held after December 2008.
The ninth parliamentary election in 2008 had seen a large international presence, with more than 500 foreign observers from international organisations and various countries, including the EU.
Such extensive institutional participation by foreign observers had never occurred before that election.
In comparison, international observation during the subsequent three controversial elections was extremely limited and selective, and questions were raised about the credibility and quality of those observers who did attend.