Report in The Daily Star, Oct 7, 2023
A six-member US pre-election assessment mission will arrive in Dhaka today on a six-day visit to determine whether to send a limited international election observation mission for the upcoming general election in Bangladesh.
During its stay in Dhaka, the US delegation will meet with election stakeholders, including the Election Commission, government officials, political party leaders, and civil society organisations, according to a statement of the International Republican Institute (IRI), a US non-profit organisation.
The team is also likely to hold a series of briefings and consultations with relevant international stakeholders and policymakers in Washington DC.
The delegation will be comprised of Karl F Inderfurth, former assistant secretary of state for South Asian affairs; Bonnie Glick, former deputy USAID administrator; Maria Chin Abdullah, former member of the Malaysia House of Representatives; Jamil Jaffer, former associate counsel to the president; Manpreet Singh Anand, regional director for Asia-Pacific at National Democratic Institute; and Johanna Kao, IRI senior director, Asia-Pacific Division.
The primary role of the mission is to provide independent and impartial information on election preparation and the electoral context, US Embassy Spokesperson Bryan Schiller told reporters recently.
After the conclusion of its visit, the US mission will provide its key findings and practical recommendations ahead of the parliamentary polls due by January next year.
The delegation will also issue a public statement outlining the positive trends, as well as areas of concern and offering practical recommendations.
https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/diplomacy/news/us-pre-polls-assessment-team-flies-today-3436541
