The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

The European Union Election Observation Mission (EUEOM) yesterday deployed nearly 100 short-term observers across Bangladesh.

They will be joining the 44 long-term observers who have been in the field for the past five weeks, following all electoral preparations including candidate scrutiny, campaigning and the work of the Bangladesh Electoral Commission.

The short-term observers were briefed on Christmas Day, and will now travel to the areas in which they will observe the opening, voting, closing and counting processes in polling centres in all of the districts of Bangladesh.

This last complement of observers brings the mission to its full capacity of 150 observers for Election Day.

All EU observers are bound by an internationally accepted code of conduct. This means that they maintain strict neutrality in the course of their work and cannot interfere in any way in the electoral process.

Graham Elson, Deputy Chief Observer of the EUEOM yesterday said the observers' assessment of election day will form part of the statement of preliminary findings and conclusions that the mission will issue on 31st December. "It's our hope that polling on election day will proceed smoothly and peacefully,' he said.

The European Union Election Observation Mission was re-deployed to Bangladesh in November, following an invitation by the Bangladesh Electoral Commission. The mission is led by Chief Observer Alexander Graf Lambsdorff.

The EUEOM's mandate is to assess elections against international standards and principles on genuine elections, and the mission is observing all elements of the electoral process.

The EUEOM is working independently to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the electoral process and to offer an impartial, balanced and informed analysis.

The statement of preliminary findings and conclusions will be followed, some two months later, by a final report which will include recommendations for improvements for future electoral processes, said a press release.