The Government of Japan has decided to send an election observation mission to Bangladesh to support the fair conduct of the 13th National Parliamentary Election scheduled for February 12. According to a statement from the Japanese Embassy in Dhaka, the mission will be present in Bangladesh from February 9 to 14 to observe the election process and contribute to ensuring transparency and credibility.

The mission will be led by Watanabe Masato, former Japanese ambassador to Bangladesh, and will include officials from Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, representatives from the Japanese Embassy in Dhaka, and an external election expert. The observers will monitor not only the voting but also the counting process, as well as the overall electoral environment and administrative preparations. They will also exchange views and information with the Bangladesh Election Commission and other international observer teams.

The Japanese government stated that this initiative is part of its long-standing cooperation to strengthen democracy in Bangladesh and is expected to contribute positively to a credible and transparent electoral process.