State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam on Monday appreciated the European Union’s continued engagement in supporting Bangladesh’s democratic journey, including the deployment of the Election Observer Mission.
She highlighted the importance of continued cooperation with international partners to further strengthen democratic institutions and processes.
The issues were discussed when Chief Observer of the European Union Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) Ivars Ijabs met the State Minister at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
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He formally handed over a copy of the final report of the 2026 parliamentary elections, said the ministry.
The chief observer is scheduled to hold a press conference on Tuesday at a city hotel.
On Sunday, he shared a final report with Bangladesh, including recommendations for improving future elections.
Ivars Ijabs 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.
He along with 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.
Ivars Ijabs also discussed with Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin key recommendations on Sunday.
The mission’s final report and recommendations aim to contribute to improving future electoral processes and upholding the international commitments which Bangladesh has adopted.
Next steps towards the implementation of these recommendations were discussed, and it was stressed that the EU stands ready to support such efforts, officials told UNB.
The EU EOM has been present in Bangladesh since the end of 2025 and on election day - February 12. It is comprised of 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 February 12 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 Ivars Ijabs.