EC to discuss monitoring by foreign observers

The Election Commission (EC) hoped that observers from different countries would arrive to oversee polls despite the European Union refraining from sending its observers to monitor the upcoming 11th parliamentary elections for what it says is a lengthy process.

The EC is scheduled to sit in a high-level meeting today to discuss security, visa processing and accommodation of foreign observers and journalists who will come here to monitor the election.

Joint Secretary (PR) of the EC office SM Asaduzzaman said the meeting would be held at Agargaon Nirbachan Bhaban with Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) KM Nurul Huda in the chair.

Officials from home and foreign affairs ministries, as well as senior officials concerned of the immigration department, will attend the meeting, he said.

Earlier on Monday, Foreign Secretary Md Shahidul Alam met the CEC to discuss issues related to the meeting.

Sources at the EC office said though the European Union sent a large number of election observers in the 2001 and 2008 elections, they did not do so for the January 5 election in 2014 due to the pre-election violence across the country.

Sources at the Election Commission said a total of 8,874 observers from 35 local organisations and only four foreign observers came to Bangladesh to monitor the 10th parliamentary election held on January 5, 2014, while some 1.59 lakh local observers and 593 foreign observers monitored the 2008 national election,2.18 lakh local observers and 225 foreign observers were there for the 2001 general election, 40,000 local observers and 265 foreign observers monitored the 1996 (7th) national election and 30,000 local observers and 59 foreign observers monitored the 1991 national parliamentary election.

Meanwhile, the commission held a meeting with 118 local observer organisations registered with the EC last Tuesday where EC Secretary Helal Uddin Ahmed instructed them on their election duties.

Earlier, the EC invited applications from both local and foreign observers for the upcoming national election.

Foreign observers were suggested to apply through the foreign ministry as the EC planned to complete their appointment process by the first week of December.