The European Union (EU) did not send its observers during the last two national polls in 2014 and 2018, which were marred with various questions within and outside the country.
The Awami League government is now facing pressure to ensure that the upcoming national election is free and fair, while the opposition parties, including the BNP, have waged a movement against the electoral system.
Against such a backdrop, the government is intended to bring foreign observers, including the EU, to ensure credibility of the next election. Experts have described the government’s stance as a strategy to keep the situation in its favour.
On the flip side, the BNP is also considering the EU delegation’s trip as an opportunity to draw their support in favour of its demand for a fair election under a neutral government.
Both parties are seeking support from the EU to advance their respective positions.
At the invitation of the government, the EU election exploratory mission is now in Dhaka to assess the situation before making a decision regarding the deployment of observers. They held a series of meetings with five political parties, including Awami League and BNP.
The meetings with Jamaat-e-Islami and AB Party triggered questions as they are not registered as political parties. Some analysts believe that Jamaat-e-Islami still has a significant hold in the political arena
The EU mission is primarily focused on listening to the stances and statements of political parties regarding the electoral environment. There have been discussions over the significance of the EU delegation and its meetings with the political parties.
Mahbubullah, a political analyst and professor of Dhaka University, said the EU is yet to clarify its role in the upcoming elections. They are just listening to the political parties as well as other stakeholders, without explicitly clearing their intentions.
In addition to Awami League and BNP, the EU delegation has also held separate meetings with Jatiya Party, Jamaat-e-Islami, and AB Party. It was learnt that they may hold further meetings with Awami League and BNP.
Regarding its meeting with the EU delegation on Saturday, Obaidul Quader, general secretary of ruling Awami League, said the visiting delegation sought to know about the ruling party’s plan over holding a free, fair and peaceful election.
Conversely, BNP leader Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury said the EU election exploratory mission asked if a free, fair and peaceful election is possible in the prevailing situation.
The same query was made in meetings with other three political parties.
The EU made an attempt to send its observers in 2018, but they were denied visas. This time the government itself has invited the EU observers.
However, the meetings with Jamaat-e-Islami and AB Party triggered questions as they are not registered as political parties. Some analysts believe that Jamaat-e-Islami still has a significant hold in the political arena disregarding its registration status. Also, the EU delegation might have held discussion with Jamaat as a representative of Islamic parties.
Moreover, the AB party, formed by a breakaway group of Jamaat-e-Islami, is trying to develop a non-religious political stance. Some of its supporters hold an influential position among the Bangladeshi diaspora in Britain, which may have prompted the EU delegation to sit with the AB Party, said some analysts.
This type of high-level visit from the EU regarding deployment of election observers is unprecedented. Earlier in 2008, they sent a delegation to observe the election held under the military-backed caretaker government.
The following election in 2014 was one-sided and there were no observers from the EU. In the election of 2018, the EU made an attempt to send its observers, but they were denied visas. The government turned reluctant to receive foreign observers in the election.
A Canadian observer group described the election as ‘good’, but retracted their comment after leaving Bangladesh.
However, the current situation is in stark contrast as the government itself has invited the EU observers for the upcoming election. In response, the EU election exploratory mission came to Dhaka on a 16-day trip on 9 July.
Harun-or-Rashid, a political analyst and former professor of Dhaka University, said the EU delegation’s Dhaka trip and their meetings with political parties are significant as their aim is to comprehend the situation before taking a decision on election observation.
BNP is now moving forward with its one-point demand for the government’s resignation. In contrast, the ruling party remains stubborn in holding the election under the current government.
Experts said the current political situation prompted the government to turn towards the foreign observers.
The BNP is attaching importance to statements from international entities, including the USA and EU, advocating for fair elections. They are leaving no stone unturned to utilise every possible means to hold a fair election. The Awami League also endorsed the demand for a fair election and is showing interest to the foreign observers.
Badiul Alam Majumdar, secretary of Shujan, said the EU is engaging with the political parties and, possibly, are offering some suggestions over holding a free, fair and peaceful elections. But the meetings have no significance if the parties do not take them seriously.
He believes that the ruling party’s emphasis on the EU delegation’s visit may be part of their strategy. On the contrary, the BNP is trying to leverage every possible opportunity to gain support for their demands. They are attaching importance to the EU mission as part of this strategy.