Chairperson of the Commonwealth Observer Group Nana Akufo-Addo on Thursday said that the inclusion of diaspora voters on this scale, alongside the simultaneous referendum on the constitutional reforms, was noteworthy and reflects a commitment to enhancing the democratic process in Bangladesh.
‘Our team is observing the entire process, from the opening of polling stations to the result management process,’ said the former president of Ghana who observed the polls at Viqarunnisa Noon School and College in Dhaka-8.
The Commonwealth deployed its observers across eight divisions two days before polling, where they met local stakeholders and saw pre-polls arrangements.
They will issue findings of their preliminary report on February 14.
Long before polling stations officially opened at 7:30am, the quiet hum of anticipation was already building across the country, observed closely by Commonwealth election observers stationed at key polling centres across Bangladesh.
By mid-morning, what began as quiet anticipation had become a steady flow of civic participation as voters streamed in to cast their ballots, marking an important stage in the nation’s democratic journey.
The citizens not only voted in the 13th national election but also participated in a constitutional referendum on the July Charter reforms.
With over 127 million registered voters eligible to cast their ballots and 2,026 candidates, including 78 women contesting the race, this election stands as the largest democratic exercise of 2026 in the Commonwealth and the world.
Across the country, 42,779 polling centres opened their doors, and operated until 4:30pm.
For the first time, diaspora voters are participating from 122 countries, with more than 772 thousand out-of-country voters registered, and 1.53 million voters have registered to vote by post.
At a polling centre in Habiganj-03, 19-year-old Yudhishtir Biswas, an undergraduate student at the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh and a first-time voter, emerged moments after casting his ballot.
‘This moment feels deeply meaningful. It’s the first time my voice formally counts in a national decision. Observing the process as a participant in the Commonwealth Charter workshop for young people has made me aware of how important the Charter’s values of trust, transparency, and fairness are to democracy. You don’t just watch people vote; you watch how confident they feel that their vote matters,’ he added.
