The International Republican Institute (IRI) described the Bangladesh’s February 12 parliamentary elections as a significant milestone in the country’s democratic transition.

“Security forces and the Election Commission performed admirably. After years of authoritarian rule, Election Day was mostly peaceful and incident-free. Given the historical context, that is a big step forward for Bangladesh,” said former United States Congressman David Dreier who led the IRI delegation as polls observer in Bangladesh.  

IRI deployed a high-level delegation of international observers to Dhaka from February 9 to 13 to assess the conduct of the 2026 parliamentary elections, said an IRI statement here today. 

“Given the historical context, that is a big step forward for Bangladesh,” Dreier said. 

The IRI delegation, in its preliminary findings, said the polls marked “an inflection point” for Bangladesh as it navigates a complex democratic transition following the July 2024 uprising that ended more than 15 years of Awami League rule.

“Now that the election is over, the hard work of governing lies ahead and the enthusiasm of the Bangladeshi people needs to be translated into action,” Dreier added. 

The delegation observed that while election administration was technically sound, the broader political environment remains fragile. 

It encouraged political candidates to resolve disputes through legal channels in the immediate post-election period.

According to the IRI’s preliminary findings, the pre-election period was relatively peaceful compared to previous electoral cycles, although clashes occurred across multiple districts involving rival party supporters. 

Voter turnout stood at 59 percent, marking a significant increase from the previous parliamentary election. Many first-time voters, particularly those under 35, participated in the vote.

However, it said, concerns remain regarding the historical undercounting of women on voter rolls.

The Election Commission was commended for substantial logistical preparedness and professional execution of a complex national operation. 

The Commission’s operational transparency was described as notable progress compared to prior election cycles.

Reforms such as the introduction of postal voting for Bangladeshis living abroad, the establishment of criteria for accrediting citizen observers, and a nationwide voter education campaign were seen as measures that enhanced transparency and credibility.

Strong participation by political party polling agents, citizen observers and international monitors ensured a high level of transparency at many polling stations. 

The report expressed concern over the significant underrepresentation of women, ethnic and religious minorities among candidates. 

No widespread or systematic targeting of minority communities was observed on Election Day, said the report. 

On Election Day, voting largely commenced on time, essential materials were available, and presiding officers were professional. 

Polling stations generally closed on schedule, and counting and tabulation were described as transparent and efficient, the report said. 

The election was conducted under heightened security, with deployment of police, army units, Border Guard Bangladesh, Rapid Action Battalion, Ansar and village defence forces nationwide. 
Authorities designated thousands of polling centres as “high risk” and implemented layered security measures. These steps appeared to contain isolated incidents and prevent escalation.

IRI, which has led or supported more than 270 election observation missions globally, will continue to monitor the post-election process and issue a comprehensive final report with detailed analysis and recommendations, si the release.