The European Union has announced an assistance package of more than four million euros to help Bangladesh Election Commission organise the Jatiya Sangsad elections in accordance with international standards.
A six-member EU delegation met chief election commissioner A M M Nasir Uddin on Tuesday when the support package was confirmed.
The EU ambassador to Bangladesh Michael Miller told reporters that the funding would be used to strengthen the EC capacity and ensure the credibility of the upcoming national election -- expected in early 2026.
鈥楾he European Union is working in partnership with Bangladesh in support of a transition that will lead to democratic elections. Today, I came to announce that the EU will provide a support package, in excess of four million euros, to help Bangladesh run elections in line with international standards,鈥� the ambassador said.
Miller explained that the funds would be channelled through the European Partnership for Democracy, which was working alongside EU electoral experts.
The assistance would focus on voter education, citizen observation, capacity building, and expert inputs in areas such as operational planning and dispute resolution.
鈥極ur focus is on ensuring the independence, efficiency and accountability of the institutions involved in the conduct of elections,鈥� Miller said.
The ambassador said that Bangladesh was considered a priority country for a possible EU election observation mission.
He said that a team of technical experts would arrive in Dhaka the next month to assess whether conditions were suitable for such a mission.
The ambassador also stressed the importance of addressing challenges such as raising voter awareness among young people, tackling misinformation, and supporting domestic observer groups, and civil society organisations.
He said that the EU wanted the elections to be credible, free, and fair and conducted in line with international standards.
