Dhaka: The Election Commission (EC) has announced an invitation for applications from private local organisations to register as election observers. Interested organisations must submit their applications in the prescribed format by 5:00 PM on August 10, as per a notification issued by the EC Secretariat.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the applications are being sought under the Election Observation Policy 2025, which stipulates that registered organisations will be granted authority to observe parliamentary and local government elections for a duration of five years. The application form can be obtained from the EC’s public relations office located in Room 105 of the Nirbachon Bhaban or downloaded from the official website at www.ecs.gov.bd.
Eligibility for registration requires that the prospective election observer organisations be legally registered under Bangladeshi law and actively engaged in promoting democracy, good governance, and human rights. Furthermore, these organisations should be dedicated to raising citizen awareness regarding free and fair elections.
The notification specifies that organisations with CEOs or officials affiliated with any political party will be deemed ineligible. Additionally, organisations led by individuals intending to run in upcoming elections will not qualify for registration. A written affidavit affirming these conditions must accompany the application.
To prevent confusion, any organisation applying with a name closely resembling that of a national, international, or regional entity will be considered ineligible unless a written no-objection letter from the concerned organisation is submitted. Each application must include the organisation’s constitution, a list of current board members, a certified copy of the registration certificate, office address, approved activities, and annual reports for the past two years, as specified by the EC notification.