February 12 polls: EU deploys 56 long-term observers

The European Union Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) yesterday deployed 56 long-term observers (LTOs) to all 64 administrative districts of Bangladesh. 

“The long-term observers are a critical element of our mission. Their observations and insights will ground our impartial and fact-based evaluation of the electoral process,” Deputy Chief Observer Inta Lase said at a city hotel yesterday.

An 11-member EU EOM team arrived here in late December, and 90 more short-term observers will join them ahead of the elections scheduled for February 12.

Diplomats from EU embassies in Dhaka, along with those from Norway, Canada and Switzerland, will also observe the polls. In total, 200 EU observers will monitor the national election.

Long-term observers will closely follow key aspects of the election at the regional level and support the analysis of the core team of experts based in Dhaka.

“Our observers will work in teams of two and in their areas of observation, they will meet voters, election officials, candidates and political parties, as well as citizen observers and youth activists, not only in the cities, but also in small towns and in villages,” Lase said.

The observers have received extensive briefings on the electoral process, the political environment, the legal framework, and the media and social landscapes in Bangladesh.

The mission was deployed following an invitation from Bangladesh’s authorities and is led by Chief Observer Ivars Ijabs, a Member of the European Parliament.

The observers will monitor election-day proceedings, including voting, counting, and tabulation of results. A delegation of Members of the European Parliament will further reinforce the mission.

Addressing the press conference, Lase said it was important to see the whole electoral process holistically to present their report impartially, adding that this is a historic moment for Bangladesh.

“Let us observe and let us wait until a holistic assessment is done,” she said.

Lase said their assessment and report, with recommendations in the spirit of friendship and cooperation, would help improve the country’s future electoral process.