EC seeks broad cooperation to ensure credible local government elections

Election Commissioner Brig. Gen. (Retd.) Abul Fazal Md. Sanaullah called for the cooperation of political parties, election observers and all stakeholders to ensure that the upcoming local government elections are free, fair and inclusive.

Speaking at the opening of a two-day stakeholder dialogue on election observation recommendations in the capital on Wednesday (July 8), Sanaullah said the Election Commission would review recommendations made by domestic and international observers following the parliamentary election and incorporate them into both short- and long-term electoral reform plans.

He said the commission aims to implement as many practical recommendations as possible ahead of the local government polls to strengthen transparency and public confidence in the electoral process.

"We have gathered feedback from observer groups and stakeholders before and after the parliamentary election. This dialogue will help identify further measures to make future elections more inclusive and credible," he said.

Sanaullah added that strengthening democracy is an ongoing process and that recommendations emerging from the dialogue would help improve Bangladesh's election management system, particularly for local government polls.

EU Ambassador Michael Miller said 19 recommendations had already been submitted based on observations of the parliamentary election and expressed hope that the workshop would generate additional proposals. He stressed the importance of prioritising and implementing the recommendations.

The dialogue has been organised by the European Partnership for Democracy (EPD) and the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES), bringing together more than 50 representatives from election observation groups, civil society organisations, the Election Commission and other institutions.