The European Union Election Observation Mission has expressed a positive assessment of the electoral environment in Bangladesh ahead of the 13th parliamentary election.
Chief Observer Ivars Ijabs, a European Parliament member from Latvia, made the remarks while speaking to journalists at a hotel in Dhaka on Monday.
He said, “I would say that the electoral environment is very positive. We have been engaging with both candidates and authorities in districts and regions across the country.”
“The general atmosphere is hopeful, and many of our interlocutors believe this election could mark a new chapter in Bangladesh’s history and democratic journey,” he added.
The mission has deployed 90 short-term observers across the country, in addition to 56 long-term observers who have been working in all 64 districts since mid-January.
Ivars Ijabs noted that while various issues have been raised in different regions, the overall mood and expectations surrounding the election remain largely optimistic.
