As Bangladesh embarks on a new chapter following a people’s uprising that ended authoritarian rule in August 2024 and ushered in an interim government, the Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL) remains steadfast in its commitment to supporting the country’s democratic transition.

As part of our ongoing efforts to promote electoral integrity and inclusive democratic practices, ANFREL convened a series of coordination and preparatory meetings in Bangladesh with key electoral stakeholders, domestic partners, and international experts. This mission comes at a defining moment for Bangladesh, as the nation works to translate the aspirations of the 2024 ‘July Uprising’ into enduring democratic institutions and processes.

The discussions particularly addressed the unique challenges of this transition period, including rebuilding public trust in institutions and ensuring the meaningful participation of all political voices in the democratic process. Special attention was given to mechanisms for enhancing participation of women, youth, and marginalized communities in the electoral process, recognizing their vital role in shaping Bangladesh’s democratic future.

These discussions are integral not only to assessing the evolving political and electoral landscape, but also to ensuring a credible, comprehensive, and well-supported future international election observation mission in the country.

The images shown below represent a selection of our engagements and do not reflect the full scope of ANFREL’s preparatory work in Bangladesh.

This initiative is implemented by ANFREL with support from the European Union. Responsibility for the content lies entirely with ANFREL and does not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union.

National Consensus Commission

Dhaka, 16 April 2025 – ANFREL met with Bangladesh’s National Consensus Commission (NCC) at the Parliament to discuss pathways for strengthening the country’s electoral processes and political dialogue. The meeting, attended by NCC members Professor Ali Razi and Badiul Alam Majumdar, focused on potential electoral reforms and consensus-building ahead of the upcoming national elections.

ANFREL shared its regional expertise in supporting credible elections and reiterated its commitment to assisting Bangladesh’s democratic transition. The discussion centered on the NCC’s six reform commissions and their role in fostering political consensus. The Commission outlined its three-phase roadmap: initiating first-round dialogues by end-May 2025, identifying areas of disagreement to find common ground, and ultimately developing a shared vision for Bangladesh’s democratic future.

The NCC emphasized its goal of establishing peaceful electoral transitions as a model for democratic governance, aiming to cultivate a new political culture through inclusive dialogue among stakeholders. ANFREL welcomed this approach, highlighting how its election observation experience across Asia could contribute to technical aspects of reform implementation and monitoring.

This dialogue marks another step in ANFREL’s ongoing engagement with key Bangladeshi institutions to support electoral integrity. The organization remains committed to sharing comparative knowledge while respecting local ownership of the reform process.

Private University Student Alliance (PUSAB)

Dhaka, 16 April 2025 – ANFREL held a productive dialogue with PUSAB, a leading youth organization representing a network of 117 private universities in Bangladesh, to exchange perspectives on strengthening electoral integrity and democratic participation.

The meeting brought together ANFREL’s international election observers with PUSAB’s delegation, led by its founder Abdullah Al Mahfuz Zakariya and executive members, to discuss Bangladesh’s electoral landscape. With a decade of experience in mobilizing youth and advocating for accountability across sectors, PUSAB shared its 14-point electoral reform proposal submitted to the Election Commission of Bangladesh, highlighting key challenges and recommendations for credible elections.

ANFREL, drawing from its 25+ years of election observation across 18 countries, contributed comparative insights on inclusive electoral processes and the role of youth in democratic transitions. The discussion emphasized PUSAB’s unique position as a youth-led pressure mechanism to foster government accountability and voter engagement.
Both organizations explored potential collaboration to amplify youth voices in electoral reforms, ensuring Bangladesh’s elections reflect the aspirations of its next generation. ANFREL commends PUSAB’s grassroots mobilization and looks forward to continued dialogue on democratic innovation.

Khan Foundation

Dhaka, 17 April 2025 – Representatives from ANFREL and Khan Foundation (KF) met to explore potential areas of cooperation in strengthening Bangladesh’s electoral environment. The discussion focused on aligning both organizations’ technical expertise to support credible and inclusive elections in the lead-up to the 2025-2026 national polls.

ANFREL, with its extensive regional experience in election observation across Asia, engaged with Khan Foundation’s team regarding their three decades of domestic election monitoring work in Bangladesh. Since 2001, KF has implemented programs in election observation, good governance, and local government strengthening through its network of 500 local NGOs, conducting activities ranging from voter list audits to civic education workshops and cultural outreach programs.

The meeting provided an opportunity for both organizations to share their respective methodologies and approaches. ANFREL presented its international observation frameworks and regional best practices, while khan Foundation offered insights into Bangladesh’s specific electoral context and challenges. Key discussion points included potential collaboration in domestic observer training, election monitoring standards, and strategies to enhance electoral transparency.

As an initial exploratory meeting, the dialogue served to identify possible synergies between ANFREL’s regional perspective and Khan Foundation’s national experience.

Chief Advisor of Bangladesh

Dhaka, 17 April 2025 – In a significant step toward strengthening electoral democracy, a delegation from ANFREL held substantive discussions with Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus of Bangladesh’s interim government today at the State Guest House Jamuna.

The meeting focused on collaborative efforts to ensure Bangladesh’s upcoming national elections (scheduled between December 2025 and June 2026) become a historic milestone for democratic governance in the country. ANFREL leadership emphasized the organization’s two decades of regional expertise in election observation and reaffirmed its commitment to supporting independent, citizen-led monitoring initiatives that enhance transparency and public trust in the electoral process.

Chief Adviser Yunus welcomed ANFREL’s engagement, stating the government’s determination to conduct what he described as “the best election in Bangladesh’s history” and a transformative moment for the nation’s democratic development. The discussions highlighted several critical areas of cooperation, including capacity building for domestic observers, inclusive stakeholder consultations, and the implementation of international best practices for electoral integrity.

ANFREL’s delegation, led by Executive Director Brizza Rosales, presented the organization’s ongoing work in Bangladesh, which includes comprehensive assessments of electoral needs and opportunities to strengthen civil society participation. The Chief Adviser acknowledged the importance of such initiatives in building confidence among all electoral stakeholders.

As Bangladesh prepares for this crucial democratic exercise, ANFREL remains dedicated to providing technical support and fostering multi-stakeholder dialogue to help realize free, fair, and credible elections that reflect the will of the Bangladeshi people.

Bangladesh National Party (BNP)

Dhaka, 18 April 2025 – ANFREL conducted an in-depth discussion with Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, examining critical dimensions of Bangladesh’s evolving political landscape.

The wide-ranging discussion covered multiple facets of the nation’s democratic process, including analysis of the current electoral environment and BNP’s position regarding the timing of national elections. Substantive exchanges took place on proposed electoral reforms, with particular attention to constitutional frameworks governing interim administrations and their role in facilitating credible polls.

Dialogue extended to transitional justice mechanisms and their potential application in Bangladesh’s context, alongside examination of how geopolitical dynamics intersect with domestic political processes. ANFREL contributed its regional expertise on comparative constitutional arrangements and international norms for electoral governance, while carefully considering BNP’s perspectives on these complex issues.

As part of its ongoing assessment mission, ANFREL maintains its commitment to understanding all stakeholder viewpoints while upholding principles of neutrality and technical rigor. This meeting represents one component of the organization’s comprehensive approach to evaluating electoral conditions through engagement across Bangladesh’s political spectrum.

Active Rights

Dhaka, 19 April 2025 – ANFREL held a constructive dialogue with Activate Rights, a leading digital rights collective in Bangladesh, to explore collaborative strategies for safeguarding electoral integrity in the digital age. The meeting, attended by ANFREL delegation alongside Activate Rights co-founders Shoeb Abdullah and Subinoy Mustofi Eron, focused on the evolving challenges and opportunities at the intersection of technology, human rights, and democratic governance.

During the discussion, both organizations emphasized the critical need to address digital rights, social media monitoring, and combating misinformation/disinformation ahead of Bangladesh’s upcoming elections. ANFREL shared its regional expertise in electoral observation methodologies adapted for the digital era, including frameworks for monitoring online hate speech, verifying electoral content, and promoting transparency in campaign financing. Activate Rights highlighted its grassroots experience in digital literacy initiatives, fact-checking mechanisms, and advocacy for internet freedom, particularly in countering state and non-state actors that manipulate online spaces to suppress dissent. A key focus was the role of civil society in ensuring a balanced digital ecosystem—where freedom of expression is protected without compromising electoral fairness. 

ANFREL appreciates Activate Rights’ commitment to an inclusive electoral process and looks forward to foster credible, participatory, and tech-accountable elections in Bangladesh.