This election sets a new EU benchmark for the future: EU election observation mission

The head of the European Union Election Observation Mission, Ivars Ijabs, said that the thirteenth national parliamentary election has been conducted credibly, the first such election since 2008. He added that this election sets a new benchmark for future elections in Bangladesh.

He made these remarks this morning, Saturday, at a hotel in the capital while presenting the mission’s preliminary assessment of the thirteenth national parliamentary election.

Ivars Ijabs said the election was genuinely highly competitive. The Election Commission conducted the polls independently, impartially, and with transparency. He also noted that misinformation played a negative role in the election.

The EU Election Observation Mission believes that although candidates were able to campaign freely, there was internal conflict within political parties.

Ivars Ijabs further said that although women were at the forefront of the mass uprising, they were almost absent in this election. Only four percent of the candidates were women.

He added that the new government must meet the expectations of the voters.