Dhaka [Bangladesh], February 1 (ANI): A total of 330 international observers have so far been confirmed for Bangladesh's 13th general election and the referendum on the July National Charter, both scheduled to be held in February, according to a statement issued by the Chief Adviser's Press Wing on Saturday.

Invited countries yet to confirm their delegates include India. India has also been invited to join the international observer mission for Bangladesh's general election, but has yet to confirm its participation, the statement said.

The statement said six international organisations, including the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), have agreed to deploy at least 63 observers for the twin polls. These observers will join missions from the European Union, 16 countries, and 32 individuals affiliated with various international bodies.

The number of confirmed international observers for the upcoming election is more than double that of the general election held on January 7, 2024, which was widely criticised and saw significantly lower international participation, the statement added.

According to official data, the number of international observers during Bangladesh's previous general elections stood at 158 for the 12th election, 125 for the 11th election, and just four for the 10th election.

The OIC observer mission will be led by Shakir Mahmood Bandar, Head of the OIC Election Observation Unit. The OIC delegation will comprise two members.

Other international observer groups include 28 observers from the Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL) and 25 from the Commonwealth Secretariat. The United States-based International Republican Institute (IRI) will send seven observers, while one observer will arrive from the National Democratic Institute (NDI), also based in the United States.

In addition, 32 observers will monitor the polls in their individual capacities. These observers represent organisations such as Voice for Justice, Democracy International, SNAS Africa, the SAARC Human Rights Foundation, and the Polish Institute of International Affairs. The information was shared by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Election Commission.

Senior Secretary and SDG Coordinator Lamiya Murshed, who is overseeing the coordination of international observer visits, said more observers are likely to join in the coming days.

'We expect the number of international observers to increase, as several countries invited to send observer missions have yet to confirm the names of their delegates,' Murshed said.

Countries that have been invited but have yet to confirm their delegates include India, Nepal, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Egypt, France, Kuwait, Morocco, Nigeria, and Romania.

The Forum of the Election Management Bodies of South Asia (FEMBoSA) is also expected to announce the names of its delegates shortly.

The general election will see nearly 2,000 candidates contesting 300 parliamentary seats. These candidates represent more than 50 political parties, along with several independent contenders. The election will be held at the same time as a referendum on the July National Charter. (ANI)