Jega, 9 others make list of Commonwealth election observation mission in Bangladesh

A former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega and nine other prominent experts from the Commonwealth nations have made a list of a 10-person Commonwealth Expert Team (CET) assigned to observe the Bangladesh general elections, come January 7th, 2024.

The Commonwealth Secretary-General, the Rt Hon Patricia Scotland KC announcing the constitution of CET observers, said it followed an invitation from the Bangladesh Election Commission and appointed the cross-functional team of experts.

According to her, the former Prime Minister of Jamaica, the Hon Bruce Golding, will lead the 10-man Commonwealth Expert Team (CET).

Accepting the invitation, Golding said it’s an honour to lead the CET’s mission to observe Bangladesh’s elections.

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In a statement, the Commonwealth Secretary-General said, “The team’s deployment demonstrates the Commonwealth’s continued commitment to supporting electoral democracy in our 56 member countries and safeguarding the rights of the people of Bangladesh as they take part in these pivotal elections.”

She added that the CET will also be supported by staff members from the Commonwealth Secretariat.

Other members that constituted the team include Dr Samuel Azu’u Fonkam, former Chairman, Elections Cameroon, Mr Sabyasachi Banerjee, Advocate and Special Public Prosecutor, Calcutta High Court, India, Ms Pauline Njoroge, digital media specialist, Kenya, Mr Jeffrey Salim Waheed, former Deputy Foreign Minister, Maldives.

Others are Ms Hennah Joku, media specialist, Papua New Guinea, Prof Dinesha Samararatne, Professor, Department of Public & International Law, Faculty of Law, University of Colombo and Member of Constitutional Council of Sri Lanka; Sri Lanka, Ms Terry Dale Ince, gender and human rights advocate, organisational development consultant and Founder of the CEDAW Committee of Trinidad and Tobago and Mr Mark Stephens, Partner, Howard Kennedy LLP and Member of Commonwealth Lawyers Association, United Kingdom.

Throughout their time in Bangladesh, the CET will meet various stakeholders, including political parties, police, civil society groups, citizen observers and monitor groups, as well as representatives from the media.