The European Union Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) in Bangladesh has deployed 56 long-term observers across all 64 administrative districts to monitor the run-up to the national parliamentary elections scheduled for 12 February.
The long-term observers began their fieldwork on Saturday morning, departing from the capital Dhaka to their respective areas of responsibility around the country, marking the start of the mission’s nationwide deployment.
Speaking at a press conference at a Dhaka hotel on Saturday (January 17), Deputy Chief Observer Inta Lase said the long-term observers were a central component of the mission.
She said that their reports and analysis would form the backbone of an impartial, evidence-based assessment of Bangladesh’s electoral process.
Lase explained that the EU EOM applies a long-term, countrywide observation methodology that has been refined over many years, enabling a balanced and detailed evaluation of elections.
The long-term observers will track key aspects of the polls at regional level and support the analytical work of the core team of experts based in Dhaka.
She added that the observers will operate in teams of two. In their assigned areas, they are expected to meet voters, election officials, candidates and representatives of political parties, as well as citizen observer groups and youth activists. Their activities will extend beyond major cities to smaller towns and villages.
According to Lase, the observers have been drawn from EU member states, Canada, Norway and Switzerland. Before being deployed, they received extensive briefings on Bangladesh’s electoral process, political context, legal framework and the media and social environment.
The mission has been deployed at the invitation of the Bangladeshi authorities. It is led by Chief Observer Ivars Ijabs, a Member of the European Parliament from Latvia, who formally launched the EU EOM’s activities at a press conference in Dhaka on 11 January.
As election day draws nearer, the mission will be reinforced by 90 short-term observers, along with additional observers from the diplomatic missions of EU member states, Canada, Norway and Switzerland.
On election day, they will monitor polling, the counting of votes and the tabulation of results. A delegation of Members of the European Parliament will also join the mission, further strengthening its capacity.
At full deployment, the EU EOM is expected to comprise around 200 observers from EU member states as well as Canada, Norway and Switzerland.
The mission plans to present its preliminary findings at a press conference in Dhaka on 14 February. After the entire electoral process has concluded, it will submit a final report, including recommendations, to the relevant authorities. Both the preliminary statement and the final report will be made public and published on the mission’s website.
The EU EOM operates under a strict code of conduct that requires neutrality and non-interference in the electoral process. Its work in Bangladesh is being conducted in line with the Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation, which was endorsed under United Nations auspices in 2005.
