Leader of the Opposition and Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Shafiqur Rahman expressed concern over the country’s overall law and order situation to the European Union Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) today.
The opposition leader held a courtesy meeting with a high-level EU EOM delegation at his office in the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban this afternoon, the party said in a press release.
According to the statement, the delegation was led by Chief Observer Ivars Ijabs and included Deputy Head of Delegation Baiba Zarina, Deputy Chief Observer Inta Leis, Legal Analyst Irini Maria Gounari and Ryan Islam.
At the outset of the meeting, Ijabs appreciated the opposition leader’s overall positive role. During the meeting, the EU EOM handed over its observation report on Bangladesh’s latest parliamentary elections to Shafiqur Rahman.
The visiting EU team also sought updates on the progress of implementing the July Charter. In response, the opposition leader outlined his party’s stance on key issues, including the national election and the proposal for a referendum.
He said that although BNP had initially agreed to various reform proposals at the National Consensus Commission, it later showed reluctance in implementing them. Such a situation, he warned, could erode public confidence in political leadership.
During the discussion, Shafiqur also raised concerns about incidents of violence by ruling party activists in different parts of the country, unrest at several universities, and attacks on Jamaat lawmakers.
EU EOM members emphasised the need to strengthen democracy, ensure political balance and carry out necessary reforms in Bangladesh. They also shared a set of recommendations aimed at ensuring free and fair elections in the future.
Barrister Ahmad Bin Quasem Arman, MP from Dhaka-14, and Ali Ahmad Mabroor, a member of the opposition leader’s foreign affairs advisory team, were present at the meeting.
Earlier in the day, the EU EOM described Bangladesh’s 2026 parliamentary elections as “credible” and “competently managed”, calling it a pivotal step towards restoring democratic governance and the rule of law.
Presenting the mission’s final report at a hotel in Dhaka this morning, Chief Observer Ivars Ijabs said the polls were genuinely competitive for the first time since 2008, with fundamental freedoms broadly respected.
