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Published : 19 Aug 2025, 02:28 PM
The European Union (EU) will provide 4 million Euros in electoral support to Bangladesh to hold the upcoming 13th national parliamentary elections according to international standards.
Michael Miller, the EU’s ambassador to Bangladesh, announced the decision to the media after leading a delegation at a meeting with Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Nasir Uddin at the Election Commission’s (EC) offices in Agargaon on Tuesday.
The six-member delegation held an hour-long meeting with the CEC. It was the fourth between the current EC and the EU ambassador.
After the meeting, Miller said that the EU is working as a “fellow traveller” in organising a democratic election in Bangladesh.
“Today, I have come specifically to inform the Bangladesh Election Commission that the European Union will provide more than 4 million Euros in support so that Bangladesh can organise elections in line with international standards.”
Describing the meeting with the CEC as “very productive”, the EU ambassador said: “We will continue to discuss this with the interim government and the Election Commission in the future.”
Representatives of the European Partnership for Democracy (EPD) also accompanied Miller to the meeting.
“They are election experts and our implementing partners. They will be here to ensure that citizen observation is given priority in the upcoming elections. We are also stressing voter education,” Miller said.
“As the European Union, we are committed to strengthening our partner Bangladesh and, of course, the Election Commission, so that they can organise fair elections.”
Miller said the various types of assistance to the EC will include capacity building, expert advice, development of effective plans and dispute resolution processes.
“Our main goal is to ensure independence, efficiency and accountability here, as in other areas of our work in Bangladesh. The European Union considers Bangladesh a priority country, especially for a possible European Union election observation mission.”
In response to a question, Miller said that the announcement of the election date is up to the EC.
“We are now discussing some practical steps that will ensure the acceptance of the elections. We are here to use our expertise. Because we want your elections to be truly acceptable, at international standards, and, of course, free and fair.”
The EU ambassador said that the EU’s pre-election observation team will arrive in Dhaka next month.
“A team of technical experts will arrive in Bangladesh next month. This is not a full-fledged observation mission. The experts’ job will be to verify whether the right environment has been created here to send an election observation mission. We are verifying capacity and the reality.”
In response to another question, Miller said: "We are undertaking various initiatives. Voter education, empowering domestic observer organisations to work at the field level, working with the Election Commission, and working with small civic organisations. In addition, discussions with experts will continue to prevent the spreading of false information."
