The European Union Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) has deployed 56 long-term observers across all 64 districts of Bangladesh to monitor the upcoming parliamentary elections scheduled for February 12.
Deputy Chief Observer Inta Lase said during a briefing ceremony in Dhaka that the deployment marks a key step in ensuring impartial and evidence-based evaluation of the electoral process. “The long-term observers are a critical element of our mission. Their insights will help provide a balanced and thorough assessment of the elections,” she stated.
According to BSS, the mission follows a robust and well-established methodology of long-term, nationwide observation. The observers will assess election activities at the regional level while supporting the analysis of a core expert team based in Dhaka. They will meet voters, candidates, election officials, political parties, and civil society groups not only in major cities but also in small towns and rural areas.
The observers, drawn from EU member states along with Canada, Norway, and Switzerland, underwent extensive briefings on Bangladesh’s political environment, legal framework, and media landscape before deployment. The mission, led by Chief Observer Ivars Ijabs, a Member of the European Parliament, was launched officially on January 11 in Dhaka following an invitation from Bangladeshi authorities.
As election day nears, the EU EOM will be strengthened by 90 short-term observers, joined by additional participants from diplomatic missions and a delegation of Members of the European Parliament. Altogether, around 200 observers will be active across the country.
The mission will release its preliminary findings on February 14, followed by a final report containing recommendations for future electoral processes. Both will be made publicly available on the EU EOM website.
EU officials emphasized that the mission operates under a strict code of neutrality and non-interference, in accordance with the 2005 Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation endorsed by the United Nations.
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