Dhaka: Bangladesh is hosting a significant number of international and domestic observers today as approximately 127 million registered voters participate in the country's 13th parliamentary elections and a referendum on constitutional reforms. The elections have attracted the attention of major international election observation groups, bilateral delegations, and domestic observers, all of whom are present to monitor the electoral process.
According to Free and Fair Election Network, the Bangladesh Election Commission (BEC) extended formal invitations to international observer organizations, foreign election management bodies, bilateral missions, and foreign media representatives. The applications for observing the elections closed in mid-January 2026, and the BEC also released guidelines for international election observers and foreign media in 2025.
The European Union Election Observation Mission (EUEOM) is one of the largest groups observing the elections, with 157 members including a core team, long-term observers, and short-term observers. Observers are drawn from EU member states, Norway, Switzerland, and Canada. The Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL) follows with 22 observers and analysts, while the Commonwealth Observer Group, led by former Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo, comprises 13 representatives.
Other international observers include the National Democratic Institute and the International Republican Institute, with the latter deploying a 19-member group. The Organization of Islamic Cooperation has sent 63 observers, and 32 observers from various organizations are also present.
Domestically, the Bangladesh Election Commission reports that 55,454 observers from 81 local organizations are involved in monitoring the elections. In addition to multilateral groups, delegations from 19 countries, including Pakistan, Türkiye, and Sri Lanka, have also been sent to observe the electoral proceedings.
The presence of such a wide array of international and domestic observers underscores the global interest in and the importance of these elections for Bangladesh's democratic process.