International election observers have found that Bangladesh’s 13th Jatiya Sangsad elections were transparent, credible and held in a peaceful manner.
The European Union Election Observation Mission, the International Republican Institute and the Commonwealth Observer Group shared their observations separately on Saturday, based on their preliminary reports on the February 12 national polls.
The EU EOM to Bangladesh chief observer, Ivars Ijabs, said that the 2026 parliamentary elections were credible and competently managed for the first time since the 2008 national polls.
‘The 2026 parliamentary elections were 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,’ said the EU EOM chief observer while presenting their preliminary statement on Bangladesh’s elections at a city hotel.
He said that for the first time since 2008, elections were genuinely competitive, conducted under a renewed legal framework.
Describing the parliamentary elections as a significant milestone in the country’s democratic transition, the IRI, an American non-profit organisation, said that the election day was mostly peaceful and incident-free.
‘Security forces and the Election Commission performed admirably. After years of authoritarian rule, election day was mostly peaceful and incident-free,’ former United States congressman David Dreier, who led the IRI delegation as a poll observer in Bangladesh, said.
Given the historical context, that is a big step forward for Bangladesh, he added.
Commonwealth Observer Group, on the other hand, termed the JS polls as transparent, free, peaceful and acceptable.
‘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,’ said EU EOM chief observer Ijabs, also a member of the European Parliament.
He, however, observed that limited participation afforded to women in the election was concerning, as they were at the forefront during the July Uprising, which led to the fall of the authoritarian regime of Sheikh Hasina on August 5, 2024.
Asked about the absence of the Awami League, activities of which are now banned, in the elections, he said that transitional justice was painful in many countries.
Voters were, however, offered a wide range of political alternatives and campaigns were dynamic, he replied to a question.
He said that the referendum results gave an obligation to the newly elected government to carry out the state reforms as promised before the polls.
Regarding Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami’s complaint of result manipulation, the EU EOM chief observer said they would observe how the appeals were disposed of.
He said that they observed some irregularities, but did not find any incident of rigging or ballot stuffing.
The EU EOM was also observing the post- election situation and would present its final report in early May, he added.
The EOM chief observer, however, said that independent participation of persons with disabilities was not always ensured.
He stressed that the limited political space afforded to women undermined their equal participation, while sporadic localised political violence and persistent fear of mob attacks, often triggered by disinformation, harmed the democratic process.
He said that the absence of affirmative action measures still leaves indigenous communities and minorities underrepresented in the political arena.
‘It is time to abandon the old practices that no longer reflect the growing maturity of Bangladesh’s democracy and to chart a new course promoting independent institutions, human rights and accountability,’ said Ivars Ijabs.
Speaking on the occasion, Tomáš Zdechovský, the head of the European Parliament Delegation, said, ‘The country is now entering a new crucial phase. We urge the new parliament and government, backed by all other state institutions, to implement the approved reforms.’
The EU EOM has been present in Bangladesh since the end of 2025 and on election day comprised 223 international observers, drawn from all EU member states, as well as Canada, Norway and Switzerland, deployed across all 64 administrative districts.
IRI deployed a high-level delegation of international observers to Dhaka between February 9 and February 13 to assess the conduct of the 2026 parliamentary elections.
The IRI delegation, in its preliminary findings, said that the polls marked ‘an inflection point’ for Bangladesh as it navigates a complex democratic transition following the 2024 uprising that ended more than 15 years of the Awami League regime, Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha reported.
‘It (the election) was acceptable, it was peaceful throughout, and it was transparent,’ said chairperson of the Commonwealth Observer Group and former president of Ghana Nana Addo Akufo-Addo at a press briefing at a city hotel.
Delivering the interim statement at the briefing after observing the February 12 parliamentary election and the referendum on the July Charter, Akufo-Addo said the overall electoral process was conducted in a peaceful, orderly and largely transparent manner, according to a BSS report.
He commended the people of Bangladesh, the Bangladesh Election Commission, law enforcement agencies and the interim government for ensuring an environment conducive to voting across the country.
The Group was deployed across Bangladesh’s eight divisions ahead of polling day to assess the pre-election environment, campaign activities and election day procedures.
In its preliminary findings, the Observer Group described election day as peaceful, with polling stations opening on time and voting procedures implemented professionally.
