Dhaka extends warm welcome to upcoming EU pre-polls mission visit 

Bangladesh has acknowledged the support of the European Union (EU) to the Election Commission and extended a warm welcome to the forthcoming visit of the EU pre-election exploratory Mission to Bangladesh.

Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain yesterday (18 September) outlined the interim government's ongoing efforts to lay the groundwork for the upcoming general elections scheduled for February 2026.

Member of the European Parliament (MEP) and Chair of the Subcommittee on Human Rights (DROI), Mounir Satouri met the foreign adviser at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and discussed the issues of mutual interest, including the upcoming national election.

Satouri is currently leading a European Parliament delegation, comprising four fellow members of parliament.

The delegation said the EU will continue to support the democratic transition in Bangladesh, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Building on the chair's comment, one of the MEPs said, "Democracy is backsliding around the world. However, Bangladesh is moving in the right direction to uphold democracy despite many challenges."

The foreign adviser briefed the delegation on the interim government's reform initiatives focused on upholding fundamental rights and strengthening of domestic institutions to uphold democratic values and prevent future occurrences of human rights violations.

He also reaffirmed the interim government's unswerving commitment to international human rights standards, highlighting recent accessions to key UN human rights instruments, including the International Convention on Enforced Disappearances and the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture.

The European Parliament delegation commended the interim government for its significant endeavour in advancing the overall human rights situation in Bangladesh.

The visiting members, in particular, expressed satisfaction with the current human rights environment and acknowledged the government's continued engagement, openness to dialogue and admired the people's aspiration to vote.

The DROI chair commended Bangladesh for hosting the forcibly displaced Rohingyas from Myanmar and applauded the government's sustained efforts to provide humanitarian assistance despite limited resources.

In response, the foreign adviser underscored the importance of continued EU leadership in maintaining global focus on the Rohingya crisis and called for addressing the ongoing aid gap for humanitarian assistance to the Rohingyas.

He reiterated Bangladesh's request for the EU to play a vital role in facilitating the early repatriation of the Rohingyas to Myanmar.

The delegation is visiting the Rohingya camps in Cox's Bazar today (18 September) before leaving Bangladesh on September 19.