EU observer to present final election report on Tuesday

Chief Observer of the European Union Election Observation Mission (EU EOM), Ivars Ijabs, will present the mission’s final report on Tuesday (28 April) containing 19 recommendations aimed at improving future elections in Bangladesh.

The EU EOM said, “Ijabs is scheduled to unveil the report at a press conference on the same day.”

The EU EOM has been stationed in Bangladesh since the end of 2025.

On election day, 12 February, the mission deployed 223 international observers drawn from all EU member states, alongside Canada, Norway and Switzerland, across all 64 administrative districts.

Earlier, the mission presented its preliminary statement on the parliamentary elections on 14 February.

The 2026 parliamentary polls were described by the mission as “credible and competently managed, marking a pivotal step” towards restoring democratic governance and the rule of law.

“This historic contest was genuinely competitive, with fundamental freedoms broadly respected. The electoral legal framework largely accords with international standards, while the Bangladesh Election Commission worked independently and transparently, maintaining the confidence of stakeholders and lending integrity to the polls,” Ijabs said earlier.

Ambassador and Head of Delegation of the European Union to Bangladesh, Michael Miller, said last week saw the initialling of the new Bangladesh-EU Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA).

He also said the coming week would witness the return visit of the chief observer, alongside the holding of EU-Bangladesh diplomatic consultations.

Miller said he would also attend events on human rights and judicial reforms and later travel by train from Dhaka to Sreemangal.