EU to observe parliamentary elections in Bangladesh
18/11/2008 17:53
The European Commission has decided to re-deploy a full European Union
Election Observation Mission ( EOM) for parliamentary elections in Bangladesh
scheduled for Dec. 18, private news agency UNB reported today.
The decision
was taken following the repeal of elements of the Emergency Power Rules early
this month, said a an EC release disclosed in Dhaka today.
The EC suspended
its observation mission in January 2007 in the wake of political turmoil between
major parties over the abortive general elections slated for Jan. 22, 2007,
which also led to an imposition of a state of emergency from Jan. 11,
2007.
The Bangladesh caretaker government on Nov. 3 relaxed the state of
emergency rules to allow pro-election political activities like procession,
meeting and rally.
Stefan Frowein, Head of the European Commission Delegation
to Bangladesh, said in the release that altogether some 150 EU Observers will be
in place on Election Day.
He said the re-deployed Election Observation
Mission, which consists of a Core Team of 10 election experts, was deployed on
Nov. 7 to co-ordinate the assessment of the entire election process.
They
will be joined by 46 Long-Term Observers to be deployed in two stages to assess
the candidate nomination process, the campaign period and pre-election
preparations around the country.
Some 88 Short-Term Observers will be
deployed by mid-December to observe voting, counting and the tabulation of
results. It is planned that the EU EOM will remain in the country for up to 3
weeks after Election Day to observe the post-election period.
Xinhua
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