CEC sends reply to EU's letter

The chief election commissioner (CEC) has sent a letter to the European Union (EU) in reply to the letter it sent informing the decision not to send a full-fledged team to observe the forthcoming national election.

Election commissioner Md Ahsan Habib Khan told journalists today, Sunday.

He said the CEC in the letter said the EC would be able to hold a free and fair election if it continues to get the cooperation it is receiving from the government and other stakeholders.

“I want to assure you that the election commission has got cooperation from the government as per its demand. The commission would try its best to hold a free, fair, inclusive and credible election. The government has repeatedly highlighted its pledge in this regard,” the CEC told the EU.

The CEC in the letter said that the more local and foreign observers would be there, the more transparent the election will be and there will be some kind of pressure on everyone. It will also increase the acceptance of elections in and outside the country.

Md Ahsan Habib Khan told journalists that the EC wholeheartedly believes that the EU would send even a small team of observers in the next general election.

The EU sent the letter to the EC and the government on 20 September informing them of the decision not to send any observers. The EU letter said the decision was taken by Josep Borrell, the High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.

The letter said that Josep Borrell has taken the decision not to send a full-fledged team to observe the forthcoming election in Bangladesh due to shortage of EU funds for election observation in 2023-24.