EU to send 4-member technical team to observe election

Instead of a full-fledged observer team, the European Union (EU) has decided to send a four-member technical team to Bangladesh to observe the upcoming parliamentary polls.

The EU made the disclosure through a letter to the Bangladesh envoy in Brussels recently, while the election commission (EC) received a letter in this regard on Thursday.

Ashok Kumar Debnath, additional secretary of the EC, confirmed the development to Prothom Alo, saying the EU disclosed its decision to send a four-member technical team, which will stay in Bangladesh from 21 November to 21 January.

Earlier, an election exploratory mission of the EU visited Bangladesh in July and held meetings with different electoral stakeholders, including the election commission, political parties and civil society members.

As per their assessment, the EU declared to refrain from sending a full-fledged election observer team during the upcoming election.