US pre-election observers team to arrive in Dhaka Oct 8
Staff Reporter :
In order to conduct an independent and impartial assessment of the status of electoral preparations, a joint Pre-Election Assessment Mission (PEAM) from the United States is schedule to arrive in Dhaka early next month.
The International Republican Institute (IRI) and the National Democratic Institute (NDI) will deploy the joint Mission to Bangladesh from October 8-12.
The delegation will be comprised six international experts, including Karl F. Inderfurth, Former Assistant Secretary of State for South Asian Affairs; Bonnie Glick, Former Deputy USAID Administrator; Maria Chin Abdullah, Former Member of the Malaysia House of Representatives; Jamil Jaffer, Former Associate Counsel to the President; Manpreet Singh Anand, NDI Regional Director for Asia-Pacific; and Johanna Kao, IRI Senior Director, Asia-Pacific Division.
During its stay in Dhaka, the PEAM delegation will meet a diverse range of election stakeholders including the Bangladesh Election Commission, government officials, political party leaders, and civil society organisations, among others.
Following the conclusion of its visit, the PEAM will provide its key findings and practical recommendations ahead of the elections expected in January 2024.
The activities of the Mission will be conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation (DoP).
The NDI is a non-profit, non-partisan, non-governmental organisation that works in partnership around the world to stregthen and safeguard democratic institutions, processes, norms and values to secure a better quality of life for all. NDI envisions a world where democracy and freedom prevail, with dignity for all.
Since 1988, NDI has conducted programmes in Bangladesh to support political party and parliamentary strengthening and the participation of civil society, women and youth in the country’s political and electoral processes.
NDI has mobilised international observation and assessment missions for the country’s 1991, 1996, 2001, 2008 and 2018 national elections.
In addition, NDI assisted local monitoring groups that organised domestic observation activities for the 2014 parliamentary elections and subsequent upazila (sub-district) polls.
On the other hand, the IRI, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organisation, advances freedom and democracy worldwide by helping political parties become more responsive, strengthening transparent and accountable governance, and working to increase the role of marginalised groups in the political process-including women and youth.
