Chief observer of the European Union Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) Ivars Ijabs on Sunday shared a final report with Bangladesh including recommendations for improving future elections.
He met Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad, and presented the mission’s final report and recommendations.
The final report is based on a long-term, independent observation of the electoral process across all 64 districts of Bangladesh, while the 19 recommendations offered by the EU EOM aim at reinforcing the integrity of future elections, officials told UNB.
The Chief Observer expressed hope that those recommendations will be considered by all relevant stakeholders, including Bangladesh Parliament.
The Chief Observer, the Head of EU Delegation to Bangladesh, Ambassador Michael Miller and the Speaker of the Parliament also discussed the new avenues for cooperation between the EU and Bangladesh that has opened and the support the EU is ready to offer in the implementation of these recommendations.
The Chief observer is scheduled to hold a press conference on Tuesday at a city hotel.
The EU EOM has been present in Bangladesh since the end of 2025 and on election day - February 22 - comprised 223 international observers, drawn from all EU Member States, as well as Canada, Norway and Switzerland, deployed across all 64 administrative districts.
The EU EOM presented the mission's preliminary statement on the 12 February parliamentary elections on February 14.
The 2026 parliamentary elections were described as "credible and competently managed, marking a pivotal step" towards restoring democratic governance and rule of law.
"This historic contest was genuinely competitive, with fundamental freedoms broadly respected. The electoral legal framework largely accords with international standards, while the Bangladesh Election Commission worked independently and transparently, maintaining the confidence of stakeholders and lending integrity to the polls,” said Chief Observer Ijabs.
Ambassador and Head of Delegation of the European Union to Bangladesh Michael Miller on Saturday said last week they saw the 'initialling' of the new Bangladesh-EU Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA).
"And this coming week sees the return visit of our Chief Observer from our Election Observation Mission, as well as the holding of EU Bangladesh diplomatic consultations," said the Ambassador in a video shared by the EU Embassy, marking the 600th day in Bangladesh for him and his family in Bangladesh.
Ambassador Miller said he will also speak at events dealing with human rights and judicial reforms. "And next week, I'm looking forward to travelling by train from Dhaka to the beautiful region of Sreemangal," he said.