A team of international election observers will visit Bangladesh on July 28, Election Monitoring Forum (EMF) said today. EMF came up with the announcement while speaking at a press briefing held at Jatiya Press Club. A six member delegation comprising representatives from the US, UK, Ireland, South Korea, Japan and China will arrive in Dhaka on July 28 as international election observers and will publish a report after assessing the situation regarding the next national election, EMF said. EMF seeks cooperation of MoFA for inviting foreign observers Nick Paul, a senior journalist on European Union political affairs from Ireland will lead the team. They will also participate in a dialogue on “Assessing the pre-election situation and political environment” to be held on July 29. They will also exchange views with the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners on July 30 and July 31. National election was fair and peaceful, claims EMF The team will likely meet the Law Minister, Home Minister, State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Information and Broadcasting Minister, and leaders of Awami League, BNP, Jatiya Party, Islami Andolan Bangladesh, Bangladesh Islami Front, Zaker Party, Islamic Front Bangladesh, Krishak Sramik Janata League, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal, Islami Oikya Jote and other political parties. Besides, a third team of international election observers will arrive in the country on September 15 and representatives from South Asian countries including Maldives, Nepal, India, Sri Lanka, and Bhutan will be in the team. Earlier, on February 24, the first team of international election observers from Germany, Nepal, India and Bhutan visited Bangladesh and exchanged views with some police parties, Election Commission and representatives of civil society. General Election to be held as per constitution: Obaidul Quader Chairman of EMF Prof. Mohammad Abed Ali read out the written statement at the press briefing.  

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.