EU satisfied with election preparations, major group will be present for observation

The 13th parliamentary election and the referendum are scheduled to take place in the first half of February, while the Election Commission (EC) is expected to announce the schedule in the first half of December. On Saturday, the EU envoy visited a mock voting exercise at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar High Girls’ School. Three days later, he met with the CEC.
 

Michael Miller said the EU supports timely, transparent, and participatory elections. He added that this election is a major opportunity for Bangladesh.
 

Referring to the two mock election exercises, Miller told reporters in a briefing after the hour-long meeting that the upcoming vote is a significant opportunity for Bangladesh’s democratic process. He said he had the privilege of observing one of the EC’s drills designed for conducting both the parliamentary election and the referendum. He added that he was impressed by the EC’s preparations, which were made with the overall challenges of the elections in mind.
 

Miller also highlighted the EC’s capacity and commitment. He said he witnessed the Commission’s professionalism, dedication, and ability to conduct the polls. He added that Bangladesh will hold one of the world’s major elections in 2026, and the European Union is preparing to deploy a very large election observation mission for this year’s polls.
 

The EU has been providing various forms of support for the upcoming election, and Miller reaffirmed the EU’s commitment to continuing this assistance.