“Most credible election since 2008,” says EU observation mission

He made the remarks during a preliminary assessment presentation held on Saturday morning at a Dhaka hotel. Ijabs said the elections were competitive and participatory, with the Election Commission maintaining independence and transparency.

However, he noted that misinformation and misleading campaigns negatively affected the electoral environment. According to EU observers, candidates were able to campaign relatively freely, though internal conflicts within political parties influenced certain aspects of the election environment.

On women’s participation, he remarked that although women were prominent in recent mass movements, their participation in the election was very low—only four percent of candidates were women, which he considered concerning.

Ijabs urged the new government to effectively and accountably fulfill voter expectations and expressed hope that future elections would be more inclusive and equitable.