September 22, 2023
DHAKA – State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam today said the decision by the European Union not to send a full-fledged election observation mission will not affect the preparations for national election.
“Whether the EU delegation comes or not, it will not affect the preparations for Bangladesh’s national election,” he said while talking to reporters after attending a programme at the Foreign Service Academy.
He, however, said the foreign ministry has not been informed by the European Union or by the Election Commission of Bangladesh in this regard yet.
“We will share the information as soon as we are informed,” he said.
Earlier, Election Commission Secretary Jahangir Alam said Charles Whiteley, the EU ambassador in Bangladesh, sent a letter to the EC informing its decision that the bloc won’t send a full-fledged mission to observe the election in Bangladesh.
In the letter the EU cited its budget crisis as the reason for not sending the full mission, Jahangir said.
In the briefing at the foreign ministry, Shahriar claimed that Bangladesh and, the EU share deep bilateral ties.
“There is no chance to draw any oversimplified conclusion [regarding the relationship].”
“We were aware that the participation of BNP and its allies in the election was a significant criterion for the EU in determining whether to send observers,” he said, referring to the series of talks a six-member EU delegation held with various political parties, including BNP and its allies in June this year.