Bangladesh Nationalist Party standing committee member Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury on Wednesday said that the European Union was keen to support the institutionalisation of democracy in Bangladesh, strengthen parliamentary effectiveness and reinforce the independence of the country鈥檚 democratic institutions.
The remarks came following a meeting between BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and an EU delegation led by ambassador Michael Miller at the BNP chairperson鈥檚 office at Gulshan in the capital Dhaka.
Khasru said that with the national parliamentary election scheduled for February 2026, the EU was preparing to send observers.
The EU representatives have expressed their expectation that the election would be transparent, credible and participatory.
He said that a key topic of discussion was the upcoming election and the need for the government to act proactively rather than wait until three months before polling.
Khasru said that any government decisions that could affect the election should be communicated to the Election Commission immediately, so that the commission could play an active role in overseeing the process.
Replying to a question, Khasru said that there was no need to appeal to foreign observers, as it was ultimately for the people of Bangladesh to decide.
He said that the EU always played a constructive role in Bangladesh鈥檚 electoral process and wished to continue that engagement this time as well.
The meeting between the BNP and the EU representatives included detailed discussions on the election process, public expectations, the democratic environment and strengthening the parliamentary system.
BNP standing committee members Abdul Moyeen Khan and Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, and organising secretary Shama Obaid were also present in the meeting.
