55,000 ‘Observers’ Under Scrutiny: Is Bangladesh’s Election Becoming a Political Project?

As Bangladesh prepares for the upcoming national election and referendum, controversy has erupted over the appointment of nearly 55,000 election observers by the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus. The issue came to public attention following a report published by Prothom Alo, triggering intense debate across political and civil society circles.
Subsequent information gathered from the Election Commission (EC) and district- and upazila-level sources suggests that a significant number of the approved observer organisations are allegedly name-only NGOs, many of which are claimed to have direct or indirect organisational links with Jamaat-e-Islami, Islami Chhatra Shibir, and the National Citizen Party (NCP).
PASA Receives the Largest Share
According to EC approval documents, the People’s Association for Social Advancement (PASA) has received accreditation for 10,250 observers across 127 parliamentary constituencies. Political sources allege that PASA’s Executive Director, Syed Humayun Kabir, is a known Jamaat leader, with several family members also identified as active supporters of the party. PASA, however, has not publicly responded to these claims.
The constituencies assigned to PASA include areas in Rangpur, Lalmonirhat, Kurigram, Gaibandha, Rajshahi, Naogaon, Khulna, Jessore, Mymensingh, Sylhet, and other regions—many of which political analysts describe as traditional Jamaat strongholds.
Questions Over CARD’s Rise
Another organisation, Community Assistance for Rural Development (CARD), has been approved to deploy 3,561 observers. Local-level sources allege that CARD gained influence with the support of Lamia Morshed, who is considered close to the interim government. Multiple sources claim that CARD’s observer lists also include individuals affiliated with Jamaat-Shibir and NCP.
Claims: 40,000 Observers Are Political Activists
Based on cross-checks of organisational records and district-level data, political analysts estimate that at least 40,000 of the 55,000 observers may be directly or indirectly linked to Jamaat-Shibir or NCP as activists or supporters. These figures, while disputed, have intensified concerns about the integrity of the observer framework.
Analysts argue that such observers could potentially:
Run propaganda against BNP candidates on election day
Declare the election “unfair” if results do not favour Jamaat-backed candidates
Spread misleading information on social media
Endorse the election as “free and credible” only if preferred candidates win
More ‘Paper NGOs’ Approved
Election Commission sources further reveal that, in December alone, at least 15 additional little-known observer organisations were approved alongside PASA and CARD. Many of these groups reportedly lack permanent offices, regular activities, websites, or annual reports—raising serious concerns about the EC’s verification process.
Despite these shortcomings, the organisations were able to submit lists containing thousands of proposed observers and receive approval without apparent obstacles.
Election Commission Under Pressure
Political observers stress that election monitoring is a critical component of any free and fair electoral process. If politically aligned activists operate under the banner of “neutral observers,” they warn, the credibility of the entire election could be undermined.
The central question now dominating political discourse is stark:
Is a carefully planned political project being implemented under the guise of election management—or has the Election Commission, knowingly or unknowingly, become an instrument of a particular political force?
The answer, analysts say, will determine whether the upcoming election reflects the will of the voters—or the verdict of the observers.