The Election Commission has asked all local and foreign election observer organizations to submit their applications requesting permission for election monitoring during the upcoming 11th general polls.
Local observers have to file their applications by November 21, while foreign observers will have to file applications and complete all their procedural requirements through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs by the first week of December.
Assistant Director of Election Commission (Public Relations), Ashadul Haque, briefed the media about the matter on Saturday.
In the 10th general election, only four foreign observer organizations monitored the polls, while the number of local observers stood at 8,874, the assistant director said.
Until now, 118 local observer organizations have registered with the Election Commission. In order to monitor the election, the organizations have to apply to the commission by November 21, Ashadul said.
"Letters have already been sent to the organizations with necessary instructions," Ashadul told reporters. "The applications have to mention the number of observers and the locations where they will be employed."
All interested organizations have been invited to attend a meeting with Election Commission Secretary Helal Uddin Ahmed on November 20 to discuss issues related to election observation.
The process of authorizing cards for local and foreign journalists will start from the second week of December, Ashadul added.
The 10th general election was marked by the absence of most foreign observer organizations.
Like last time, the European Union (EU) has declined to send any observers for monitoring the 11th general election.
But other organizations such as: the Association of Election Commissioners of the SAARC countries, FEMBOSA, and others, will come for monitoring, Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda has said.
According to the election schedule, the 11th general election will take place on December 30.
Meanwhile, a statistical report by the Election Commission shows the highest number of foreign observers at any election stood at 600. The highest number of local observers was 2,18,000.
In 2008, there were 593 foreign and 1,59,113 local observers to monitor the election.
In 2001, 225 foreign observers from 32 countries and 2,18,000 local observers from 69 organizations monitored the polls.
In 1996, the number of foreign observers stood at 265 and that of local observers stood at 40,000. And in 1991, there were 59 foreign observers and 30,000 local observers