The European Union (EU) said it will focus on three key areas while observing Bangladesh’s upcoming 13th parliamentary election.

EU election observation mission chief and European Parliament member Ivars Ijabs told journalists at a roundtable meeting at Sylhet District Press Club on Friday that the mission will pay special attention to security, voter participation, and a level playing field for candidates.

He said the EU sees this election as an important step in Bangladesh’s history.

At the roundtable meeting, chaired by Sylhet District Press Club president Moin Uddin and moderated by general secretary Mohammad Nasir Uddin, Ivars Ijabs said, “We are here to strengthen our political, economic, social, and cultural ties with your beautiful country. In this context, our election observation mission is an important step, and we see this election as a significant milestone in Bangladesh’s history.”

He also said, “Our mission follows an internationally recognized method, where our role is only to observe and not to take part in the political process. Because the election is very close, I will not comment on any party’s rule violations or other issues.”

Ivars Ijabs added, “We will submit our preliminary report in Dhaka on February 14, immediately after the election, and the full report will be presented two months later.”

He said, “The mission officially began one month ago, and our long-term observation team (LTO) has already been monitoring election preparations in Dhaka and other areas.”

He added, “Our observers are engaging with local stakeholders, including the election commission, government authorities, candidates, domestic observers, and various NGOs as key partners.”

About additional observers from Europe, he said, “Our colleagues Bambi and Christian have been working here for a month, and tomorrow 90 more short-term observers from Europe will join. They will monitor campaigning and vote counting during the final days of the election. This is not only an EU mission; three important partner countries - Switzerland, Norway, and Canada - are also participating.”

He said the observers will be spread across different constituencies, cities, and villages in the country.

Highlighting the three main areas of focus, he said, “Our observation will focus on three key aspects: how safely and securely citizens can take part in the election, the inclusion of all citizens including women and minority groups, and ensuring equal opportunities for candidates.”

Ivars Ijabs also said, “Our core team in Dhaka includes experts such as legal specialists, election analysts, and media analysts. They are monitoring both traditional and social media.” He emphasized that they are not intervening in the process or giving advice to anyone.

He explained that organizing elections is primarily the responsibility of Bangladesh’s citizens, and there is no room for outside interference.

The EU parliament member added, “We want to maintain a long-term relationship with Bangladesh. In today’s changing world, one of the EU’s priorities is to find democratic and reliable partners globally.”

Speaking about trade, he said, “We want to expand trade relations with Bangladesh and invest in green energy and climate change initiatives. Democratic processes are very important in this partnership.”