Former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has arrived in Bangladesh as part of a Commonwealth Observer Group tasked with monitoring the country’s parliamentary election and referendum scheduled for February 12.
The delegation is in the Bangladeshi capital, Dhaka, to examine the state of readiness for the polls and to assess whether conditions are in place for a credible and inclusive electoral process.
Ahead of voting day, the observer group is expected to review logistical preparations, engage with election management bodies and assess the broader political climate in which the elections will be conducted.
Mr Akufo-Addo confirmed the arrival of the team in Bangladesh on Sunday, February 8, indicating that initial engagements with local stakeholders had already begun.
As part of the Commonwealth’s standard election observation procedures, the group is holding consultations across a wide spectrum of society to better understand the electoral environment.
These engagements include meetings with representatives of the media, civil society organisations, political parties, as well as youth and women’s groups, with the aim of gathering diverse perspectives on the conduct of the upcoming polls.
The Commonwealth Observer Group is expected to remain in the country through election day, after which it will issue an assessment of the process in line with international democratic standards.
