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Download PDF A nine-member advance team from the European Union (EU) arrived in Dhaka yesterday to observe the general elections in Bangladesh slated for January 23.
The team comprising experts in law and politics arrived yesterday morning while the team leader is scheduled to arrive tomorrow, an official in the Delegation of the European Commission (EC) in Dhaka told the news agency.
The EU will send a total of 150 observers.
Meanwhile, EU Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighbourhood Policy Benita Ferrero-Waldner in a statement said successful and credible elections would be a positive contribution to the long-term stability of Bangladesh.
The coming election will be the most monitored polls ever in the history of Bangladesh with around 400 international observers coming to see it.
The EC official said the team will stay in Bangladesh until the day of election and their activities would include training of local election observers.
Of the remaining EU observers, a 40-member team will be arriving on December 26, European Commission Head of Delegation in Bangladesh Stephen Frowein said recently.
The third EU team comprising some 100 observers will arrive a few days before the polling day. This team will stay even after the end of the election and not only monitor the election, but everything related to election.
Another 30-member team from the diplomatic missions of EU countries in Dhaka would also monitor the election, said the EC official.
The European Commission on Thursday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Election Commission to facilitate monitoring the pre- and post-election situation.
They will soon sign another MoU with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to facilitate the visit of the election observers with regard to their visas and other related formalities.
OBSERVER MISSION’S AIM
EU Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighbourhood Policy Benita Ferrero-Waldner has said that successful and credible elections would be a positive contribution to the long-term stability of Bangladesh.
“I have decided to deploy an Election Observation Mission (EOM) to undertake a comprehensive assessment of the entire election process,” Ferrero-Waldner said.
“In the current very difficult and tense situation in the country, it is essential to ensure that the elections conform to international standards in order to increase confidence in the democratic process,” he said, according to an official release of the EC Delegation.
Ferrero-Waldner mentioned that the forthcoming parliamentary elections are the most important in Bangladesh since 1991 when eight years of military rule came to an end.
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