Commonwealth Secretary-General Shirley Botchwey arrived in Dhaka on Thursday for a four-day visit ahead of the upcoming national election.
She will stay here from 20 to 24 November. During her visit, she will hold meetings with political leaders, government officials, and civil society representatives.
The trip is being seen as a key engagement ahead of the 13th parliamentary election. Botchwey will meet Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, leaders of major political parties, the chief election commissioner, and several foreign high commissioners.
Her discussions will focus on peace, stability, democratic governance, and long-term development.
She will also present the Commonwealth’s new strategic plan, which highlights democratic governance as one of its main pillars. Botchwey will seek feedback on what type of support would be most effective for Bangladesh.
In a statement before the visit, Botchwey said Bangladesh joined the Commonwealth shortly after independence and has remained an important partner.
She expressed hope the meetings will help her better understand the country’s political context. This understanding will guide areas for deeper cooperation based on mutual respect.
Botchwey noted in the statement that the long-standing partnership between Bangladesh and the Commonwealth has become even more significant ahead of the upcoming election. She added that the organisation remains committed to supporting a peaceful, inclusive, and participatory environment.
The Commonwealth also said the visit follows last month’s pre-election assessment mission. That mission met various political and civic groups to review the evolving electoral landscape.
