The Election Commission of Bangladesh (EC) has issued the Election Observation Policy 2025 ahead of the upcoming 13th National Parliamentary Election to guide the observation of parliamentary and local government elections.
The policy will apply exclusively to domestic observer organizations, officials confirmed on Thursday.
According to the policy, the primary objective of election observation is to identify any irregularities that may occur during a free and fair election, enhance the transparency of the electoral process, and strengthen voter confidence.
Registration process for observer organizations
A public notice will be issued in daily newspapers, allowing 15 days for organizations to apply for registration. Interested organizations must submit applications in the prescribed format along with the required documents specified in the notice.
Eligibility criteria
Only non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that work toward promoting democracy, good governance, and human rights — and whose constitutions explicitly commit to informing and encouraging citizens to ensure free, fair, and impartial elections — will be eligible to apply.
Disqualification
Organizations will be ineligible for registration if any member of their board of directors or chief executive is directly affiliated with a registered political party or intends to contest any election during the application period. Applicant organizations must submit an affidavit confirming that no executive or board member is involved with any political party.
Additionally, organizations using names identical or similar to national, international, or regional entities in a way that may cause public confusion will be deemed ineligible, unless written consent from the concerned international or regional body is submitted.
Organizations previously found to have submitted biased or motivated reports will also be denied registration.
Validity and renewal of registration
Each registration will remain valid for five years from the date of approval, subject to renewal upon fulfillment of certain conditions.
Within five years of registration, the organization must observe at least one general election to the National Parliament and four local government elections, and submit corresponding reports to the EC Secretariat. Biennial reports must also be submitted every two years.
Registered organizations must adhere to the Election Observation Policy and the prevailing laws and regulations of the country.
Qualifications and deployment of observers
To qualify as an election observer, an individual must:
- Be a citizen of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh;
- Be at least 21 years old;
- Have passed the Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) examination or an equivalent qualification;
- Not be disqualified from contesting in any election;
- Have no personal or financial interest in connection with any political party, its affiliates, or any contesting candidate;
- Not be affiliated with any political party or its associated organizations.
Observers will be deployed by unit, based on upazila/metropolitan thana or parliamentary constituency. They must not be residents or voters of the constituency where they are assigned. Registered observer organizations may deploy observers for three days — the day before, the day of, and the day after the election.
Cancellation procedure
If a specific allegation is received that an organization has violated the policy or engaged in activities against the interests of the state or public order, the Election Commission will issue a notice requiring a written explanation within 10 days. If the response is unsatisfactory or the allegations are proven during a hearing, the Commission may revoke the organization’s registration.
In such cases, the Commission’s decision will be considered final.
