EC publishes full list of 96 local election observers with 29 new names
The new group of observers includes, the Election Monitoring Forum and SAARC Human Rights Foundation
The Election Commission has registered 29 more local observers ahead of the 12th Jatiya Sangsad (JS) polls, taking the total number to 96.
The new group of observers includes the Election Monitoring Forum and SAARC Human Rights Foundation - both of which were rejected in the first phase, according to data released by the Election Commission on Wednesday (6 December).
The Election Monitoring Forum is led by Abed Ali, who is also the secretary general of SAARC Human Rights Foundation.
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However, according to a Prothom Alo report published in November, the person who applied for registration on behalf of SAARC Human Rights Foundation is retired justice Siddiqur Rahman Miah. Meanwhile, Abed Ali applied for the registration of Election Monitoring Forum which is an association of several other agencies.
The SAARC Human Rights Forum came under media spotlight after being criticised over inviting inexperienced foreign citizens as observers in the last JS polls.
The Election Monitoring Forum, on the other hand, brought a few foreigners to the country earlier this year and introduced them as 'foreign observers'.
With the latest addition, the total number of local observers registered by the EC stands at 96.
These organisations will be able to monitor any elections taking place in Bangladesh for the next five years till 5 December 2028
Previously, the commission registered 67 organisations.
More than 150 local non-governmental organisations applied for registration as election observers after the EC announced the second phase of registration in a notice on 14 September.
The EC registered the new 29 organisations after scrutinising the applications and disposing of the appeals.
In the last JS polls in 2018, the number of local observers stood at 81. The organisations had deployed 25,900 representatives.
The new organisations also include, the Development Organisation of the Rural Poor, Prattasha Samajik Unnayan Sangstha, Society for Rural Basic Need, Rural Vision (RD), Taj Shanti Sangha Bagura, People's Association for Social Advancement, Pathway, Jaago Foundation Trust, NICE Foundation, Nari Unnayan Sangstha, Sufia Hanif Foundation, and Social Advancement Community Organisation, Sobar Tore Amra Foundation among others.
