At least 394 international election observers and 197 foreign journalists have arrived in Bangladesh to observe the country’s 13th general election and the referendum on the July National Charter, both scheduled to be held on Thursday. Of the international observers, 80 represent various international organizations, 240 come from bilateral countries — including independent European observers — and 51 are individuals affiliated with different global institutions. The number of international observers for the upcoming polls is more than double that of the controversial general election held on January 7, 2024. By comparison, the 12th, 11th, and 10th general elections were monitored by 158, 125, and just four international observers respectively. In 2024, the foreign observers were from dubious groups.
