Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin on Tuesday categorically stated that foreign observers who certified the last three national elections will not be allowed to monitor the next one.
The CEC made the remarks while talking to the media after a meeting with Canadian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Ajit Singh at the Election Commission office at Agargaon in Dhaka.
“Why should we approve those who certified the last three elections? Should we accept the observers who declared those elections to be acceptable?”
“We will only accept observers who are experienced, defendable, reliable, and have experience monitoring elections in other countries. We will not accept those who endorsed the last three elections in Bangladesh,” he said.
During the meeting, the CEC briefed the envoy on the commission’s ongoing preparations for the upcoming elections.
The Canadian envoy inquired about whether Bangladesh would be able to conduct the upcoming elections effectively. In response, the CEC assured him of the Election Commission’s readiness and shared detailed updates on preparations, including plans to launch a nationwide voter awareness and education campaign.
On the issue of artificial intelligence (AI), the CEC emphasised its potential misuse as a serious concern.
“Misuse of AI poses a threat to our electoral process. Canada faced similar challenges in its last election and has assured us of support. We’ve sought their guidance based on their experience,” he said.
“The EC hopes to receive full cooperation from Canada, as well as from other international partners,” the CEC said. “We are confident in our ability to hold free, fair, and impartial elections.”
The CEC mentioned that Canada has expressed its support for the commission’s overall efforts, including voter awareness campaigns, training of polling officers, training of observers, and training of agents.
He further stated that Canada is ready to assist and that discussions will continue.
“Canada has expressed its desire to see free, fair, and credible elections. They have also emphasised the importance of including women in the voter registration process and inquired about voter awareness initiatives in the hilly regions.”
He further mentioned that the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is supporting the EC, saying that they have promised to step in and address any issues or gaps that may arise.
The UNDP has also emphasised the importance of holding free, fair, and acceptable elections, in addition to the inclusion of women voters, ensuring voter participation in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, and the threat posed by the misuse of AI technology.
“We have invited the European Union to act as observers. They have been asked to inform us in advance. Since they will need to coordinate and send observers from 28 countries, we have invited them ahead of time,” he said.