Khairul Alam, Dhaka, Bangladesh – On October 7th, a United States observer delegation is set to arrive in Bangladesh for a week-long visit.
On Thursday, September 21st, Brian Shuler, the spokesperson for the U.S. Embassy in Dhaka, shared this information during a press briefing with several reporters at the American Embassy.
He revealed that the United States, through its International Republican Institute (IRI) and National Democratic Institute (NDI), will independently and impartially conduct a joint Pre-Election Assessment Mission (PEAM) following NDI’s policy declaration.
Shuler mentioned that the delegation will be in Bangladesh from October 7th to October 13th. Each delegation will consist of six members, with support staff to assist them.
Regarding the delegation’s activities, Shuler stated that they will engage with various stakeholders in Bangladesh, including the Election Commission, government institutions, political parties, civil society, women’s groups, youth, various organizations, and prominent individuals in Bangladesh and the international media in Dhaka.
Shuler added that at the end of their trip, the delegation will provide a briefing to highlight their findings on electoral trends and any associated concerns. Additionally, they will offer some recommendations for further consideration.
In the coming days, they will also arrange a series of briefings and consultations with international stakeholders, policymakers in Washington, D.C., and electoral integrity advocates in various regions of Bangladesh.
While the primary role of the Pre-Election Assessment Mission is to provide independent and impartial information in preparation for the election and to observe the election impartially and independently.
Overall, the visit of the observer delegation from the United States is aimed at supporting the democratic process and electoral integrity in Bangladesh.