EU observer team expects participatory and peaceful elections

Today is a big day for democracy in Bangladesh, said Ivars Ijabs, head of the European Union (EU) election observation team. He expressed this reaction to reporters after visiting the Siddheshwari Girls College center in the capital on Thursday morning.

The EU observer team arrived at the center about half an hour before the start of the voting. They closely monitored the preparations for the entire election process. Before the start of the voting, as per the rules, the presiding and returning officers displayed the transparent ballot boxes in front of the observers and then sealed them and prepared them for voting. Voting began at the center on time.

Expressing satisfaction with the start of the voting process, Ijabs said, “The election has started here in a very orderly manner and at the scheduled time. We have seen the process of starting the voting with our own eyes. Our expectation is that a participatory election will be held not only in the capital but also throughout the country.”

He added that the EU delegation will continue to monitor the overall situation and voting process at various centers for the rest of the day.

Voting has been going on in a peaceful atmosphere at the center since morning without any untoward incident. According to the presiding officers, the queue of voters may get longer as the day progresses.