Bangladesh Confirms 330 International Observers for February 12 Parliamentary Election and Referendum

Bangladesh has confirmed that at least 330 international observers will monitor the upcoming 13th national parliamentary election and the referendum on the July National Charter, scheduled to be held on February 12, according to the Chief Adviser’s Press Wing.

In a statement issued on Saturday, the press wing said six international organizations, including the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), have agreed to send at least 63 observers. In addition, 32 individual observers affiliated with the European Union, 16 countries, and various international organizations will take part in election monitoring.

With these confirmations, the total number of international observers for the upcoming polls has reached 330—more than double the number present during the controversial January 7, 2024 election, which saw significantly fewer international monitors.

By comparison, 158 international observers monitored the 12th parliamentary election, 125 observed the 11th election, and only four were present during the 10th parliamentary polls.

The two-member OIC observer mission will be led by Shakir Mahmood Bandar, head of the organization’s Election Observation Unit. The Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL) will deploy 28 observers, the Commonwealth Secretariat 25, the U.S.-based International Republican Institute (IRI) seven, and the National Democratic Institute (NDI) one.

According to information from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Election Commission, 32 individual observers representing organizations such as Voice for Justice, Democracy International, SNAS Africa, the SAARC Human Rights Foundation, and the Polish Institute of International Affairs will also observe the electoral process.

Lamia Morshed, Senior Secretary and SDG Coordinator, who is overseeing coordination for international observers, said authorities expect the number to increase further.

“We are hopeful that the number of international observers will rise. Several countries that received invitations have not yet finalized the names of their representatives,” she said.

Countries yet to confirm their observer delegations include India, Nepal, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Egypt, France, Kuwait, Morocco, Nigeria, and Romania. The Forum of Election Management Bodies of South Asia (FEMBoSA) is also expected to announce its observer list soon.

More than 50 political parties and independent candidates are contesting the election, with nearly 2,000 candidates competing for 300 parliamentary seats. Alongside the parliamentary vote, a nationwide referendum on the July National Charter will be held on the same day.