EU observers say 13th national polls key to strengthening democracy

The 13th national elections in Bangladesh will be crucial to strengthening democratic institutions through the ballot box, European Union Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) Chief Observer Ivars Ijabs said today.
“Hence, it will be important that the polls are conducted peacefully and in a credible and transparent manner,” he said at a press briefing held at a hotel in Dhaka.
Ijabs said the EU hopes its election observers will contribute to public confidence and trust in the electoral process.
The EU is deploying a fully fledged election observation mission in Bangladesh for the first time since 2008, he said.
An 11-member core team of the mission arrived in Bangladesh last week, while a 56-member long-term observer delegation is scheduled to arrive later today.
At least 90 short-term observers will arrive in the country a few days ahead of the February 12 elections.
In addition, a separate delegation of European parliamentarians and diplomats from all 27 EU diplomatic missions, along with representatives from Canada, Norway and Switzerland, will also join the observation effort.
“This election observation mission reaffirms the importance the EU attaches to its partnership with Bangladesh, built on mutual respect and a shared commitment to democratic principles,” Ijabs said.