Record number of int'l observers, foreign journos arrive to monitor polls, referendum
394 international observers, 197 foreign journalists to monitor polls, referendum tomorrow.
A record number of nearly 600 international observers and foreign journalists have arrived in Bangladesh to monitor the 13th national election and the referendum.
The foreign affairs ministry and the Election Commission confirmed that 394 international observers and 197 foreign journalists are currently in the country.
Of the observers, 80 represent major international organisations, 239 are from bilateral missions including independent European observers, and 51 are individuals affiliated with various global institutions.
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The scale of international monitoring for the upcoming polls marks a significant departure from previous years.
The number of observers is more than double that of the 12th general election held in January 2024, which was monitored by 158 international observers.
In contrast, the 11th and 10th general elections saw only 125 and four observers, respectively.
Key organisations sending observer missions include the Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL) with 28 observers, the Commonwealth Secretariat with 27, the US-based International Republican Institute (IRI) with 19, and the National Democratic Institute (NDI) with one.
Other organisations include the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) with two observers, the International Conference of Asian Political Parties (ICAPP) with two, and the European External Action Service with one.
Observers also arrived from 21 countries, including Pakistan (8), Bhutan (2), Sri Lanka (11), Nepal (1), Indonesia (3), the Philippines (2), Malaysia (6), Jordan (2), Türkiye (13), Iran (3), Georgia (2), Russia (2), China (3), Japan (4), South Korea (2), Kyrgyzstan (2), Uzbekistan (2), South Africa (2), and Nigeria (4).
Lamiya Morshed, senior secretary and SDG coordinator at the Chief Adviser's Office, stated, "We are overwhelmed by the response from countries and organisations sending election observers."
She added that beyond the number of observers, their quality was particularly encouraging. "Many of the observers have extensive experience and high credentials in election monitoring worldwide. This is very reassuring for us," she said.
