BM Report:

Foreign observers from the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Russia, Palestine, Canada, and Gambia have praised the 12th parliamentary election in Bangladesh, which took place on Sunday.

In a press conference held on Sunday evening, OIC Electoral Unit Chief Sheikh Mohammad Bandar said that he was “surprised” to see that the streets were empty of people on election day. He said that he had seen no signs of violence or intimidation.

Russian Central Election Commission Commissioner Andrey V. Shutov also praised the election, calling it “transparent, open, and credible.” He said that the election was held in a secure environment and that the media was able to report freely.

Canadian observer Chandra Arya said that there was no reason to question the legitimacy of the election. He said that it was important that voters who did come out to vote were able to do so without interference.

Palestinian Elections Observer Group Chief Hisham Kuhail said that the election was held “in accordance with international standards” and that the election officials were well-trained. He said that he did not observe any signs of violence.

Arab Parliament member Abdihakim Moaliam Ahmed said that the 12th parliamentary election marked a “historic moment” for democracy in Bangladesh. He said that the election was held peacefully and that voters were enthusiastic.

The 12th parliamentary election was held to elect 300 members of the Bangladesh Parliament. The ruling Awami League is expected to win a fourth consecutive term in office.