Diplomatic Desk:
The European Union Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) has given its initial assessment of the 13th parliamentary elections as credible, competitive and efficiently conducted. The Head of the Mission and Member of the European Parliament Tomas Zdechovsky and Chief Observer Ivars Ijabs made the assessment at a press conference in Dhaka on Friday (February 14). They said that this was the first credible election since 2008, which is an important step in restoring democratic governance and the rule of law in Bangladesh.
Ivars Ijabs said that the elections were truly competitive and multi-dimensional. The active participation of citizens in the democratic process paved the way for a new phase of reforms. He praised the professionalism, independence and transparency of the Election Commission, saying that the commission was able to maintain the trust of stakeholders and set a new example in upholding democratic standards.
However, the initial report also raised some concerns. In particular, the spread of misinformation online, the fear of violence and the narrow political space for women were cited as undermining the democratic environment. Women candidates constituted only 4 per cent of the total number of candidates, which the Mission believes reflects a lack of political will. Patriarchal attitudes, discrimination and digital harassment were identified as major barriers to women’s participation.
The Mission said that 56 long-term observers were deployed in 64 districts starting in late December and by mid-January. On election day, a team of over 200 members was formed, including 90 short-term observers from Europe and Canada and diplomats from various countries. They visited 1,805 polling stations across the country and observed the counting and tabulation of votes.
The Mission’s assessment of the legal framework—The amended election law is in line with international standards and has strengthened inclusion. About 770,000 expatriate voters were able to vote by mail, and over 850,000 election workers were trained. However, the report noted that the strict campaign rules were not uniformly enforced, creating a perception of bias.
Regarding violence, it was reported that at least 56 violent incidents were recorded in 27 districts in early February, in which about 200 people were killed. Several viral misinformation spread rapidly on social media, although national fact-checkers played an active role.
Voter turnout was around 60 percent—in this context, Thomas Zedechowski said that it was not just the percentage, but inclusive participation that was more important. Voter turnout fluctuates in many democratic countries, but the real issue is that no group is left out. Regarding allegations of rigging or ballot stuffing in specific constituencies, he said that their observation did not find any direct evidence of such. He called for the settlement of any allegations through a legal and transparent process, if any.
The mission also said that it would continue to monitor the post-election environment and would publish a final report with recommendations after about two months. The initial assessment said that Bangladesh had taken an important step in rebuilding democratic trust; It will now be the responsibility of the new parliament and government to advance reform efforts and ensure the participation of all citizens.
