The Election Working Group (EWG) will not undertake comprehensive election observation as initially planned, according to a statement the group issued yesterday.
In the statement, the group said the environment required a transparent, inclusive and credible election, which does not currently exist in Bangladesh.
They also said the existing security situation, which was likely to get worse in the upcoming days ahead of the elections, was not favourable to holding free and fair elections.
The statement stated that if security conditions permit, the EWG would undertake limited observation activities on January 5 to report on voter turnout and the overall security environment.
The statement also said the EWG would continue to monitor the situation leading up to the election and review its strategy depending on how events develop. The group would continue with its long term observation activities, which are focused on monitoring and reporting on the overall election environment.
The EWG is a non‐partisan network of 29 civil society organisations that share a common commitment to free and fair elections, good governance, and the attainment of higher standards of democratic process and accountability in Bangladesh.