United News of Bangladesh

The Election Commission on Tuesday expressed satisfaction over the prevailing law and order situation as the country prepares to hold the referendum and election simultaneously on Thursday, Election Commissioner Abul Fazal Md Sanaullah said. “The Election Commission is satisfied with the law and order situation what now prevails,” he said at a press briefing in the city's Nirbachan Bhaban in the afternoon. Sanaullah said some incidents had occurred after the announcement of the election schedule, adding that the situation would have been even better had those incidents not taken place. EC to unveil electoral work plan by July: Election Commissioner The Election Commissioner urged all stakeholders, including political parties and candidates, to maintain the peaceful atmosphere during the elections. Sanaullah said the EC would release the balloting progress reports four times on the election day. He said the Election Commission would brief international observers and foreign journalists on Wednesday about the February-12 elections. Election Commission rejects 20 reform proposals citing threat to authority

Japan has decided to deploy an Election Observer Mission to Bangladesh from February 9 to February 14 to support the fair implementation of the general election of Bangladesh scheduled for February 12.  The mission will be headed by Watanabe Masato, former Ambassador of Japan to Bangladesh. It will consist of officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, the Embassy of Japan in Bangladesh and an external expert. Bangladesh establishes formal diplomatic ties with Grenada In addition to observing the casting and counting of votes, the Mission will exchange views and information with the Bangladesh Election Commission as well as election observer missions from foreign countries and others. The Election Observer Mission will be sent as part of Japan's cooperation for the consolidation of democracy in Bangladesh in response to the Bangladesh Election Commission’s announcement to welcome international election observers, said the government of Japan.