The European Union Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) has emphasized that elections are vital for strengthening democratic institutions through the ballot. Chief observer Ivars Ijabs made the remarks on Sunday at a press conference in Dhaka, underscoring the need for Bangladesh’s 13th national parliamentary election to be peaceful, credible, and transparent. He expressed hope that EU observers would help enhance public confidence in the electoral process.

Ijabs stated that the EU’s engagement with political parties is ongoing and that the mission will assess whether a level playing field exists. He noted that the EU believes Bangladesh has the capacity to hold free, fair, and impartial elections. This marks the first time since 2008 that the EU has deployed a full election observation mission to Bangladesh.

According to Ijabs, an 11-member core team arrived in Bangladesh last week, and a 56-member long-term observer group was scheduled to arrive today, reflecting the EU’s renewed commitment to monitoring the upcoming election process.