EU Mission: Election was genuinely competitive

Diplomatic Correspondent :

The European Union Election Observation Mission has described 13th parliamentary election as genuinely competitive, credible and competently managed, marking what it called a pivotal step towards restoring democratic governance and the rule of law.

Presenting the preliminary findings at a press conference at a city hotel in Dhaka on Saturday, Chief Observer Ivars Ijabs said the 12 February poll represented a significant departure from previous contests.

“The 2026 parliamentary elections were credible and competently managed, marking a pivotal step towards restoring democratic governance and rule of law.

For the first time since 2008, elections were genuinely competitive, conducted under a renewed legal framework that largely accords with international standards and with fundamental freedoms broadly respected,” he said.

He added that the electoral framework, strengthened by recent amendments, provided a sound basis for democratic polls, though further reform would be necessary to enhance legal certainty and safeguard freedom of expression.

At the same time, the Chief Observer cautioned that shortcomings persisted. “Sporadic, localised political violence and persistent fear of mob attacks, often triggered by manipulated online narratives, harmed the democratic process,” Ijabs said.

He noted that at least 56 campaign-related violent incidents were reported across 27 districts, resulting in around 200 casualties.

On women’s participation, he said, “Only four per cent of the contestants were women, with BNP fielding 10, and NCP two candidates, while Jamaat-e-Islami and 30 other parties did not have any, evidencing a clear lack of political will to advance women in national politics, despite apparent commitments in the July Charter.”

Commenting on the conduct of the poll, Ijabs said the Bangladesh Election Commission worked “independently and transparently, maintaining the confidence of stakeholders, and upholding the integrity of the polls.”

He praised the proactive approach of the newly appointed Commission in rebuilding public trust, while noting that some stringent campaign rules were not consistently enforced, leading to perceptions of an uneven playing field in certain constituencies.

About Awami League activities during election, he said, “AL, which as a party was suspended from contesting the elections, and its affiliates continuously sought to undermine the Interim Government and the legitimacy of the elections.

In a concerted effort, AL-leaning social media accounts called for a boycott of the elections. Such efforts intensified in January; by election day, posts on TikTok with AL hashtags reached some 183 million views in total.”

The delegation of Members of the European Parliament, led by Tomáš Zdechovský, fully endorsed the mission’s preliminary statement.

“The country is now entering a new crucial phase,” Zdechovský said. “We urge the new parliament and government, backed by all other state institutions, to implement the approved reforms.”

Responding to questions, Ivars Ijabs said that although the election marked a significant democratic improvement, gender imbalance remained a serious concern.

“Women’s participation is probably the issue that is of the greatest concern according to our observers,” he said, stressing that democracy is about civic equality and the right of every citizen to participate as a voter, candidate and campaigner.

He noted that limited female representation “hurts the decision-making of the Bangladeshi people themselves” and urged authorities to fulfil international commitments on women’s political inclusion.

The Chief Observer reiterated that the mission’s mandate was to assess the electoral process rather than broader political questions, including the exclusion of certain political parties, including Awami League.

On the referendum held alongside the parliamentary vote, he clarified that the European Union does not usually observe referendums and therefore it was not part of the mission’s mandate.

Addressing concerns about turnout, Ijabs said the figure appeared to fall within Bangladesh’s historical range and cautioned against focusing solely on percentages.
“We are not looking at turnout only as a number,” he said.

“Turnout is very much also about participation – whether all relevant groups in society are taking part and no one is excluded.”

He confirmed that the EU EOM would publish a final report in late April or early May, consolidating its findings and offering recommendations.

Responding to allegations of irregularities in vote counting in certain constituencies, Ijabs said the mission had not directly observed fraud or ballot stuffing.

“I say with full responsibility that there was no direct observation of fraud or ballot stuffing,” he stated, while acknowledging that minor irregularities had been noted.

Looking ahead, he emphasised that democratic responsibility continues after polling day. The new government, he said, must engage constructively with the opposition, while civil society and the media maintain oversight.

“Opposition, civil society and media have an absolutely crucial role to control government,” he said, underlining that democracy is not a blank cheque for those in power.