Foreign Ministry is ready to provide necessary support to the Election Commission for smooth activities of foreign polls observers.
“We have already notified the Election Commission about our preparation and we would act in line with the demand of the commission,” said an official.
The commission has already declared the schedule of 11th parliamentary election to be held on Dec 30.
The Guidelines for Election Observation stipulated that the foreign observers can apply to the commission through email or fax. Dhaka-based diplomats can submit their application through email, fax or physically.
The observers will be granted tourist visa and can stay in Bangladesh for three to eight weeks depending on the nature of their observations.
The official said recently the Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali briefed the Dhaka-based diplomats about how foreign observers can take part in the process.
So far, Commonwealth, SAARC, and some Western countries showed their interest to send the observers, he added.
Another official said, Dhaka-based diplomats can also apply to the Election Commission to operate as polls observers.
He said the ministry will set up an ‘observer monitoring cell’ upon the demand from the Election Commission.
We set up such cell in 2007, 2008, and 2014 to provide necessary support to the observers, he added.
However, no election could take place on 2007.
A total of 593 foreign observers took part in 2008 while it number was very minimal in 2014.