Chief of the European Union (EU) Election Observation Mission to Bangladesh, Ivars Ijabs, on Thursday said there will be some 200 EU observers in Bangladesh to monitor the upcoming national election and referendum, focusing on the free, fair, and credible balloting. “But now we have just started with our mission,” Ivars Ijabs said. Noting that the initial team is smaller, he said the team is composed of those who are long-term observers. Ivars Ijabs said Bangladesh is a beautiful country with a very pluralistic and diverse society. “The Bangladesh Election Commission told us that these are really a very historic and important election, taking into account what happened in August of 2024 right now,” he added.

Source: Dhaka Tribune January 08, 2026 15:36 UTC