EC receives EU letter over not sending election observers: Secretary
Chief election commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal has received the letter sent by the European Union (EU) over the decision to not send a full-fledged observation team to observe the forthcoming Jatiya Sangsad (national parliament) election.
EC secretary Md Jahangir Alam shared the information with journalists at Nirbachan Bhaban in the city on Thursday.
He said the EU in an email informed the foreign ministry that the organisation will not send a full-fledged observation team due to fund shortage. The foreign ministry forwarded the email to the EC.
Replying to questions of journalists, the EC secretary said EU did not mention any apprehension of violence during the election and the organisation said it would keep in touch with Bangladeshi authorities.
The letter was sent to the government yesterday, Wednesday (20 September), informing that the decision was taken by the European Union's Josep Borrell, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.
The European Union took this decision based on the recommendations of the pre-election observation team that recently visited Dhaka, said the letter.
The EU letter also stated that it is not adequately clear enough at the moment as to whether all the required criteria will be met during the national election in Bangladesh.
Despite this decision, the letter added, the EU is looking into other alternative to remain with the election process.
On behalf of the EU, the letter said that they will encourage all sorts of efforts to ensure that the election in Bangladesh is free, fair, peaceful and inclusive.