LONDON, CMC – Former Jamaica prime minister Bruce Golding will head a 10-member Commonwealth Skilled Group (CET) to watch Bangladesh’s basic elections on January 7 subsequent 12 months.
“It’s my honor and privilege to have been requested to steer this staff and to serve the Commonwealth as soon as once more. I’m happy to be collaborating with this professional staff, which normally contains consultants from numerous backgrounds, nations, and professions. In conducting our duties in Bangladesh, we pledge to stay goal, clear, and impartial,” Golding mentioned.
Chief Election Commissioner Habibul Awal mentioned the twelfth parliamentary election might be held on January 7 in 300 seats.’
The principle opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Get together (BNP), whose prime leaders are both jailed or in exile, has already mentioned it’ll boycott the polls if Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina doesn’t resign and switch energy to a non-partisan caretaker authorities to supervise the overall election.
Hasina has led Bangladesh for the previous 15 years. Her fundamental rival and two-time premier, BNP chief Khaleda Zia, is beneath home arrest for what her social gathering calls trumped-up corruption prices.
The Jamaat-e-Islami, the most important Islamist social gathering within the Muslim-majority nation, and the Islami Andolon Bangladesh (IAB) social gathering additionally mentioned they might boycott the polls.
The London-based Commonwealth Secretariat mentioned Golding is considered one of two Caribbean Neighborhood (CARICOM) nationals observing the polls. The opposite is Miss Terry Dale Ince, gender and human rights advocate, organizational growth marketing consultant, and founding father of the CEDAW Committee of Trinidad and Tobago.
“The Commonwealth’s dedication to fostering peaceable, truthful, and credible elections is unwavering. Neutral and impartial elections observers present priceless suggestions to enhance and strengthen the elections and democratic processes,” mentioned Commonwealth Secretary-Normal Patricia Scotland.
“The staff’s deployment demonstrates the Commonwealth’s continued dedication to supporting electoral democracy in our 56 member nations and safeguarding the rights of the individuals of Bangladesh as they take part in these pivotal elections,” she added.
The Secretariat mentioned that the professional staff will think about all elements of the election course of and supply their observations on whether or not the elections are performed in step with the democratic requirements Bangladesh has dedicated itself to. Workers members from the Commonwealth Secretariat will even assist the CET.
The opposite staff members are drawn from Cameroon, India, Kenya, Maldives, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, Sri Lanka, and the UK.
“All through their time in Bangladesh, the CET will meet numerous stakeholders, together with political events, police, civil society teams, citizen observer and monitor teams, in addition to representatives from the media,” the Secretariat mentioned.
It mentioned that from January 6, the staff will even deploy in small teams across the nation to watch electoral preparations of their respective areas and, on election day, observe the opening, voting, closing, counting, and outcomes administration processes.
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