US to send pre-election monitoring team to Bangladesh in October

Washington expects a free and fair election in Bangladesh, enabling the public to choose their representatives, said US Ambassador Peter Haas

A US pre-election monitoring team will be arriving in Bangladesh to monitor the situation prior to the 12th general election, according to US Ambassador Peter Haas.

The team, consisting of experts with prior experience in election monitoring and preparation, will arrive in October, Haas said after a meeting with Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal on Tuesday.

Washington expects a ‘free and fair election’ in Bangladesh that enables the ‘public to choose their representatives’, he added.

The latest amendment to the Representation of the People Ordinance and the registration of new political groups were also on the agenda for the meeting. Election Commissioner Ahsan Habib Khan and EC Secretary Jahangir Alam also attended the meeting.

Haas previously met with CEC Awal on Jun 8. Following the meeting, Haas emphasised that the US was not focused on the election's outcome. Instead, the primary concern was ensuring a fair and transparent election that allowed citizens to choose their leaders freely.

The European Union's Election Exploratory Mission also visited Bangladesh in July to decide whether to send an election monitoring team for the upcoming parliamentary polls.