16 countries to send 57 observers for Bangladesh election
Staff Reporter :
At least 16 countries have accepted Bangladesh’s invitation, sending a total of 57 observers to monitor the upcoming general election and the July Charter referendum, both scheduled for 12 February.
These bilateral observers will join several hundred international monitors from the European Union, the Commonwealth, and other global organisations promoting democracy and human rights.
Malaysia is sending the largest contingent with 14 observers, led by Dato Sri Ramlan Bin Dato Harun, chairman of the Malaysian Election Commission. Türkiye will dispatch 12 observers, including several members of parliament, headed by former Turkish ambassador to Bangladesh Mehmet Vakur Erkul.
Other countries sending observers include Indonesia (5), Japan (4), Pakistan (3), Bhutan (2), Maldives (2), Sri Lanka (1), the Philippines (2), Jordan (2), Iran (1), Georgia (2), Russia (2), Kyrgyzstan (2), Uzbekistan (1), and South Africa (2). Notable observers include Pakistan’s chief election commissioner Mohammad Jalal Sikandar Sultan and Bhutan’s chief election commissioner Deki Pema.
Senior Secretary and SDG Coordinator Lamiya Morshed, coordinating the observers, said, “We have received confirmation of close to 400 election observers so far and expect a few more countries to confirm shortly.”
The Commonwealth Observer Group, led by former Ghanaian president Nana Akufo-Addo, will include 14 members such as Jeffrey Salim Waheed, former deputy foreign minister of the Maldives; David John Francis, former foreign minister of Sierra Leone; and Ras Adiba Mohd Radzi, former Malaysian senator.
The European Union Election Observation Mission (EOM) will be headed by Ivars Ijabs, chief observer and member of the European Parliament from Latvia, along with seven other MEPs from Austria, Romania, Czechia, Spain, Ireland, and the Netherlands.
Nearly 2,000 candidates, including representatives from over 50 political parties and independents, are contesting 300 parliamentary seats in this highly anticipated election.