Diplomatic Desk:
Australia is supporting independent international election observation to ensure Bangladesh’s 13th national parliamentary election is transparent and credible. To this end, Australian High Commissioner Susan Ryle and Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL) Executive Director Brija Rosales signed a cooperation agreement on January 27.
The Australian High Commission, Bangladesh, said in a statement that Australia highly values the Bangladesh-Australia partnership based on mutual respect and democratic values. This collaboration with ANFREL will strengthen the transparency of the electoral process and help build a deeper understanding of the country’s political and civic landscape. This initiative is expected to play a significant role in monitoring the participation of women, youth and vulnerable populations in particular.
The statement added that this initiative complements Australia’s ongoing support to the Election Commission of Bangladesh through the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)-led BALLOT project. This reaffirmed Australia’s commitment to holding free, fair and participatory elections.
