Foreign observers are less interested in the December-30 municipal election as only two organisations have applied to the Election Commission to watch the polls.
According to sources at the EC Secretariat, only two foreign watchdogs – Democracy International and International Human Rights (IHRC) – submitted their applications for watching the countrywide municipal polls.
But 15 foreign organisations observed the election of three city corporations held in April 28 last in the country’s capital and the port city.
However, some 29 local organisations out of 120 election monitoring organisations registered with the Election Commission have applied to the commission to get permission card for observing the election, said an election official seeking anonymity.
As per fact-sheet of the EC, a total of 4,189 local observers of the 29 organisations are likely to monitor the December 30 polls.
Of them, the highest 1170 observers are of Ain Sohayota Kendra (Asok) Foundation, 650 of Bangladesh Human Rights Commission, 294 of Brotee, 240 of Rural Development Service-RDA and 208 of Democracy Watch.
Besides, the seven other organisations that will have more than 100 observers in the election are Wave Foundation (110 observers), Manobadhikar O Samaj Unnayan Sangstha (110), Fair Election Monitoring Alliance-FEMA (160), Gano Kalyan Sangstha-GKS (125), Light House (125), Association for Community Development-ACD (147) and National Youth Forum of Bangladesh (100).
The remaining 17 local organisations that will have less than 100 observers are Jatiya Nirbachan Parjabekkhan Parishad-Janipop, Bangladesh Manobadhikar Somonnoy Parishad, Manobik Sahajya Sangsha, Bangladesh Development Society-BDS, Nabolob, Uttoran, Coast Trust, National Development Programme, Solidarity, Banchte Shekha, Rights Jessore, Rupantor, Dak Diye Jai, Khan Foundation, Jagoroni Chokra Foundation, Association for Coordinated Operation in Rural Development-ACORD and Institute for Environment and Development-IED.
But the Election Commission has yet to finalise how many observers from the two foreign organisations will monitor the municipal election.
When contacted, Democracy International claimed that it did not submit any application for observing the municipal polls.
On December 23 last, the ruling Awami League lodged an objection to the Election Commission against 10 election monitoring organisations ahead of the December 30 polls.
Ten organisations are Manobadhikar Somonnoy Parishad, Democracy Watch, Manobik Sahajjo Sangstha, Manobadhikar O Samaj Unnayan Sangstha, Light House, Odhikar, Rights Jessore, Jagorani Chakra and National Youth Forum.
