EU Deploys 56 Long-Term Observers Across Bangladesh

The European Union Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) has deployed 56 long-term observers across all 64 districts of Bangladesh to monitor the parliamentary elections scheduled for February 12.

The deployment took place today following a brief ceremony in the capital, where Deputy Chief Observer Inta Lase said the long-term observers play a vital role in ensuring a credible and impartial assessment of the electoral process.

“These observers are a critical element of our mission. Their observations and insights will form the foundation of our objective and fact-based evaluation of the elections,” she said.

The EU EOM follows a well-established methodology based on long-term, nationwide observation to ensure a comprehensive and balanced assessment. The observers will closely monitor key aspects of the electoral process at the regional level and contribute to the analysis conducted by the core expert team based in Dhaka.

Working in teams of two, the observers will engage with voters, election officials, candidates and political parties, as well as civil society representatives, citizen observers and youth activists. Their work will extend beyond major cities to include small towns and rural areas.

The long-term observers have been drawn from EU member states, along with Canada, Norway and Switzerland. Prior to deployment, they received extensive briefings on Bangladesh’s electoral framework, political environment, legal system, and media and social contexts.

The mission was deployed at the invitation of the Bangladeshi authorities and is led by Chief Observer Ivars Ijabs, a Member of the European Parliament, who officially launched the mission at a press conference in Dhaka on January 11.

As election day approaches, the mission will be reinforced by 90 short-term observers, along with observers from diplomatic missions of EU member states, Canada, Norway and Switzerland, to monitor voting, counting and tabulation. A delegation of Members of the European Parliament will also join the mission.

At full strength, the EU EOM will comprise around 200 observers from all 27 EU member states, Canada, Norway and Switzerland.

The mission will present its preliminary findings at a press conference in Dhaka on February 14. A final report, including recommendations for future electoral processes, will be submitted to the authorities after the completion of the entire election process. Both documents will be made public.

EU officials said the mission operates under a strict code of conduct that ensures neutrality and non-interference, in line with the Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation endorsed under United Nations auspices in 2005.