The BNP on Saturday told the visiting Election Exploratory Mission from the European Union (EU) that it is not possible for their party to join the next national election under the current Awami League government. “We've told them that there’s no question of going to elections under this regime, it is not possible. There are so many reasons behind it,” said BNP standing committee member Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury. Talking to reporters after the meeting with the EU team, he said they informed the EU delegation that the people of Bangladesh will not be able to cast their votes and elect their representatives through the election under the current regime. “These things are as clear as the daylight. Everyone knows these.” The BNP leader said the entire world has an eye on Bangladesh’s election as they know the elections under this government were questionable and not acceptable. “That’s why they’re expressing their concerns.” “Why should the EU team come to Bangladesh and take opinions on the election? They don’t have to go to any country in South Asia to this end. Even, they hardly go to any country in the world for this purpose. So, why did they have to come to Bangladesh? Like everyone else, they may have the same question about the elections under this regime,” Khosru observed. He said the EU team wanted to know whether the people of Bangladesh will be able to cast their votes in the elections in the days to come. Read: EU Election Exploratory Mission holds meeting with BNP The BNP leader said the government indulged in vote stealing in the past and they are still doing the same thing and will continue it in the future too. “They’ll go to power again through this process by controlling the election and keeping the people out of voting. These issues have been naturally discussed (in the meeting).” The visiting EU Election Exploratory Mission came to the BNP Chairperson’s Gulshan office at 9 am and had a meeting lasting almost an hour-and-a-quarter with a BNP delegation led by party secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir. Apart from Fakhrul and Khosru, the party chairperson’s adviser Ismail Jabiullah, Organising Secretary Shama Obaed, and Human Rights Affairs Secretary Advocate Asaduzzaman Asad were present at the meeting. Khosru said they discussed all the issues, including BNP’s position regarding the election, their demands, and the current political situation with the EU delegation. Read: Fakhrul to govt: ‘Time’s up, resign’ He said they told the EU team that no credible election can be held under the Awami League regime as stealing votes is going on unabated in the country. The BNP leader said the government is changing the DCs and SPs and OCs of police with new postings. “It has continued arresting BNP leaders, obstructing our rallies. Our yesterday’s (Friday’s) march programme was attacked. It’s going on continuously.” He also said the government has taken steps to sentence the BNP leaders and workers by promptly holding the trials of the cases filed against them so that they cannot contest the election. “They're are doing these things every day to steal votes.” Replying to a quarry by the journalists about talks, Khosru said there is no democratic atmosphere in Bangladesh while human rights, media freedom, the rule of law, and safety of life are in question. “There’s also no democratic environment here… There is no level-playing field in Bangladesh, where people have no democratic, constitutional, and political rights. So, a proper atmosphere has to be created first and then the question of dialogue will come," he observed. In response to another question, the BNP leader said it is up to the European Union whether they will send observers during the next elections. “The question of observers arises only when a fair election is held.” He said the people of Bangladesh and the global community at present do not see any possibility of a credible election. “It’s up to them (EU) what decision they will take in this context.” Meeting with Jatiya Party After the meeting with the BNP, the EU delegation sat with representatives of the Jatiya Party, led by Chairman GM Quader, at the residence of one of its leaders, Masroor Mawla, around 10:30am. Talking to reporters after the meeting, party Secretary General Mujibul Haque Chunnu said they told the EU delegation that JP and the country’s people want a free, fair, and neutral election. "Awami League and BNP both placed their one-point demands. BNP wants the government to resign while Awami League wants the election to be held under Sheikh Hasina. Our one-point demand is a fair election," he said. Read: Countdown begins for govt's downfall, says BNP Leader Rizvi Chunnu said they told the EU team that the Election Commission and the government need to play the biggest roles for holding a credible election. He said their party thinks the current political problem over the election can be resolved through talks. “The main step needs to be taken by the government.” Replying to a question, the Jatiya Party leader said their party wants dialogue as there will be no solution without talks. Asked whether there was any discussion about the polls-time government, Chunnu replied in the negative. “They (the EU team) are not interested in it.” The EU delegation also held meetings with the ruling Awami League and some other parties today.

The visiting Election Exploratory Mission from the European Union (EU) is holding a meeting with BNP this morning (July 15, 2023). The meeting began around 9 am at the BNP Chairperson’s Gulshan office, said party’s media cell member Sayrul Kabir Khan. The EU delegation and BNP are supposed to discuss various issues related to the next national election. Countdown begins for govt's downfall, says BNP Leader Rizvi BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Standing Committee Member Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, party chairperson’s adviser Ismail Jabiullah, Organising Secretary Shama Obaed and Human Rights Affairs Secretary Advocate Asaduzzaman Asad were attended the meeting. Party sources said the BNP delegation may talk elaborately about previous polls held under the Awami League government and provide documents to justify their party’s stance of “not joining the election without a non-party interim government.” They are also likely to discuss the latest political situation in the country, cases against “40 lakh” BNP leaders and activists, jailing of party chairperson Khaleda Zia and other leaders, and the alleged repressive acts by the government against opposition leaders and workers. BNP unveils 31-point outline to 'rebuild, repair' state The EU team is also scheduled to hold meetings with Jatiya Party, ruling Awami League and some other parties today. The EU Election Exploratory Mission arrived here on July 9 on a two-week visit and it has already talked to the Election Communication and various stakeholders of the government as part of their move to assess whether a fully-fledged Election Observation Mission should be sent here by the EU before Bangladesh’s next parliamentary election. No scope to hold ‘acceptable polls’ under AL govt: BNP tells Canadian envoy

Members of the Election Exploratory Mission (ExM) from European Union (EU) had a meeting with the Election Commission (EC) today (July 11, 2023), and wanted to know about its preparations for holding the next election "fairly and peacefully." The EC discussed its preparations with the visiting EU delegation. Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal, EU delegation leader Chelleri Riccardo, and EU Ambassador to Bangladesh Charles Whitely, among others, were present at the meeting. EC proved its ‘impartiality, capability through fair polls’ in 5 recent city elections: Monitoring Forum tells EU delegates A technical team of the mission will further discuss the relevant issues with the EC on July 18,19. EU delegation leader Riccardo said they are in Dhaka to assess the pre-electoral conditions in order to prepare an analysis for the EU High Representative which will then decide whether or not a full election observation mission will be deployed in Bangladesh. EU encourages ‘peaceful, fair, participatory’ election in Bangladesh: Ambassador Whiteley The CEC did not make any comment, saying his views are aligned with that of the EU delegation leader. Riccardo did not take any questions from the media. The EU mission will stay in Bangladesh till July 23. The main objective of the Election Exploratory Mission is to assess the “advisability, usefulness and feasibility” of a possible EU Election Observation Mission for the upcoming parliamentary election, according to the EU Mission in Dhaka. AL prefers dictatorship, feudalism, not democracy: Fakhrul

Leaders of the Election Monitoring Forum (EMF) today (July 11, 2023) informed the Election Exploratory Mission from European Union (EU) that the Election Commission has proven its “impartiality, courage and capability” in holding free and fair polls in five city corporations held recently. Though a major political party did not participate in the recently held elections in the five city corporations, a large part of their former councilors and local leaders took part in the elections and were elected, the EMF leaders said. Read: US doesn't consider it interference when other countries discuss its elections: State Dept In all the local elections that have been held recently, the EMF leaders said, they have observed that the government has not interfered or influenced the elections and has fully cooperated with the Election Commission in maintaining law and order situation. Chairman of the Election Monitoring Forum, Professor Mohammad Abed Ali, was present during the meeting. Advisor of the Election Monitoring Forum and former Election Commissioner Brigadier General (Retd) Shahadat Hossain Chowdhury, directors of the forum – Vice-Chancellor of DUET Prof M Habibur Rahman and BUET Pro-Vice-Chancellor Prof Abdul Jabbar Khan – were also present at the meeting. Read: Momen welcomes foreign observers during maiden interaction with British envoy During the meeting, the EMF leaders said that the current Election Commission has recently implemented strict monitoring of law-and-order situation with CCTV cameras to ensure the safety of voters in local elections and cancellation of elections due to irregularities in Gaibandha by-election has boosted the confidence of voters.

EU Ambassador to Bangladesh Charles Whiteley on Wednesday said the European Union is very interested in sending polls observers to Bangladesh during the next general election. He also appreciated the positive attitude by the Bangladesh authorities about welcoming foreign observers. He was talking to reporter after a meeting with Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal  and other EC members at the Nirbachan Bhaban in the capital. Read more: Foreign observers are welcome during next general election: PM Hasina tells British MPs An 11-member EU delegation led by Whiteley had a wide ranging exchange of views with the CEC and his team on Bangladesh’s preparations for the parliamentary elections, including electoral observation. The general election is likely to be held in first week of January next year.   “Everybody wants a participatory, peaceful, and fair election and that is in everybody's interest,” he added. Kazi Awal said it will be better if foreign observers monitor elections.

The European Union (EU) Delegation in Bangladesh will run  ‘Erasmus+ Roadshow’ campaign from 11 September to 27 September at 13 different public and private universities in Dhaka and Rajshahi to promote Erasmus + programme opportunities. The Erasmus+ is the European Union's flagship educational exchange programme for students, teachers and institutions engaged in higher education. Also read: EU’s Erasmus + scholarship 2021-2022 for 139 Bangladeshis The programme has a strong international dimension, funding scholarships for students and academics from all over the world to come, study and teach in 33 European countries, according to the EU Embassy in Dhaka. The programme also finances cooperation projects within higher education institutions in Europe and the rest of the world, promoting partnership plus capacity building among institutions. Also read: 151 Bangladeshi students get Erasmus+ scholarships