EC expects 300 foreign observers to monitor national polls

Election Commission has invited 114 individuals from four organizations and commissions of 34 countries.

The Election Commission is expecting around 300 foreign observers and journalists from all around the world to observe the 12th national polls in Bangladesh, scheduled to be held on January 7 next year. 

According to Election Commission sources, a total of 156 observers and 71 journalists from various countries, organizations, and international media have already applied within the stipulated time, expressing their desire to observe the upcoming parliamentary elections.

Besides, the Election Commission has invited 114 individuals from four organizations and commissions of 34 countries. Accommodations, except the airfare of these observers, will be borne by the Election Commission.

Meanwhile, a total of 23,380 individuals from different agencies in Bangladesh have registered with the Election Commission to observe the 12th national polls.

Of them, approximately 2,000 observers will be appointed centrally, while 21,380 observers will be selected locally, Election Commission Additional Secretary Ashok Kumar Debnath told Dhaka Tribune

The deadline for submitting applications for election observation ended on December 10.

According to the official, 25,920 individuals from 81 out of 118 organizations had registered to monitor the 11th national polls in 2008.

On Thursday, referring to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Election Commission officials said so far nine countries have confirmed sending their observers.

The countries are  India, China, Russia, Sri Lanka, Japan, Uzbekistan, Mauritius, Georgia and Palestine.

Apart from these countries, observers will come from the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the Commonwealth, and the Arab Parliament.

Sources also said that the US National Democratic Institute has also expressed its interest in monitoring the polls.

Election Commission sources added that a team of technical experts from the European Union is now in Bangladesh to monitor the upcoming polls. Four experts on the team collected their identity cards from the Election Commission on Wednesday.

Furthermore, there are observer applications from various countries such as Thailand, Nepal, India, Britain, Canada, Australia, Sweden, the Netherlands, Iraq, Palestine, Georgia, Uganda, Norway, Bulgaria, and the Congo.

Meanwhile, journalists from prominent media outlets, including AFP, NDTV, New York Times, Reuters, Associated Press India, GG Press-Japan, Swedish Radio, The National, Yomiuri Shimbun, and Jang Feiheit, have expressed their intention to monitor the day of voting.

The Bangladesh Election Commission has invited officials of Election Commissions from India, Bhutan, the Maldives, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Australia, Canada, France, Georgia, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Russia, South Korea, Egypt, Turkey, Uzbekistan, Argentina, Brazil, South Africa, Senegal, Thailand, Azerbaijan, Malaysia, Mauritius, Tunisia, Brunei, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, China, Japan and Singapore.

The chairpersons of Fombosa and Association of World Election Bodies (A-WEB), the secretaries general of the OIC and South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) have also been invited.

On Monday, Iwama Kiminori,  the Japanese Ambassador in Bangladesh, said that his country will send three observers while a total of 13 officials of the Japanese Embassy in Dhaka will also present to monitor the election.