The European Union Election Observation Mission has described the 13th parliamentary election as “credible, genuinely competitive, and pluralistic,” but observed that there was a lack of proper women’s representation.
The EU Mission’s Chief Observer, Ivars Ijabs, said that participation levels fluctuate historically but emphasised that the overall decline is a worrying trend for democracies worldwide.
Earlier, on Thursday, Ijabs called the election “a big day for Bangladesh’s democracy” as the EU mission observed the country’s dual polls—the national election and a referendum—across the nation.
After inspecting voting at Siddheswari Girls’ College on New Bailey Road, he told reporters, “I think this is really a big day for Bangladesh’s democracy.”
