The European Union Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) to Bangladesh has put forward six priority recommendations aimed at strengthening the integrity of future elections, in line with the country’s international commitments to democratic standards.
The mission presented its final report on Tuesday on the 13th parliamentary election. Based on a two-month, countrywide observation, the report provides a comprehensive analysis and assessment of the entire electoral process.
Chief Observer Ivars Ijabs, a member of the European Parliament, described the polls as a significant step forward.
“These credible and competently managed elections marked a pivotal step toward restoring democratic governance and the rule of law, reflecting a shared commitment to democratic processes among all stakeholders,” he said.
“Although the elections bolstered public trust, legal and procedural gaps remain, signalling the need to continue the reform process in line with the July National Charter and beyond.”
Six priority recommendations
In its final report, the EU EOM outlined six key priority recommendations. These include a comprehensive revision of the electoral legal framework, the introduction of robust campaign finance regulations and oversight mechanisms, and affirmative measures to enhance women’s participation in political and public life.
The mission also called for wide-ranging reforms to promote a safer digital environment, improved transparency across all stages of vote tabulation, and consideration of extending postal voting eligibility to additional categories of voters.
In total, the report contains 19 recommendations aimed at reinforcing electoral integrity. The full report has been published on the EU EOM website.
Positive developments
The mission acknowledged several positive developments, highlighting the resilience of Bangladesh’s democratic institutions. It noted that the updated legal framework was broadly aligned with international standards for democratic elections.
The Bangladesh Election Commission was commended for its professional conduct, openness, and efforts to enfranchise approximately 770,000 overseas voters.
Electoral Enquiry and Adjudication Committees were also praised for their proactive role in enforcing campaign rules. The report further observed a revitalised civic space and welcomed national initiatives aimed at countering disinformation.
Persistent challenges
Despite these gains, the report underscored several challenges that require urgent attention. Women candidates were largely absent from the election, indicating a lack of political commitment to inclusive representation.
The mission also pointed to inconsistent enforcement of campaign regulations and limited oversight of campaign financing, which contributed to an uneven playing field.
Incidents of online harassment and digital violence, coupled with insufficient police protection, were found to have constrained media freedom. Social media platforms were also deemed inadequately prepared to safeguard the integrity of digital information.
“Now is the time to focus on reforms that strengthen transparency and the rule of law, demonstrate political will to promote women’s participation, and foster a pluralistic and secure environment for public debate—both online and offline,” Ijabs said.
He added that the European Union stands ready to support Bangladesh in these efforts, in line with the recently initialled Partnership and Cooperation Agreement.
The EU EOM was deployed in Bangladesh from 28 December 2025 to 4 March 2026, comprising 223 international observers from all EU member states, as well as Canada, Norway, and Switzerland. Observers were stationed across all 64 administrative districts of the country.
