Odhikar loses election observer status

Rights group Odhikar has lost its local election observer status.

The Election Commission sent a letter to Odhikar to this effect on November 6.

The letter, signed by EC Joint Secretary (Public Relations) SM Asaduzzaman, said the organization’s registration with the as a local observer agency had been cancelled.

“The precondition to registration as a local observer agency with the Election Commission is that the agency will have to be registered with a statutory body or the NGO Affairs Bureau,” the letter said.

“As your organization’s registration with the NGO Affairs Bureau has expired, your registration as election observer is being cancelled,” it added.