Prof. Attahiru Jega, a former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has been appointed to the 10-man Commonwealth Expert Team (CET) tasked with observing the Bangladesh general elections scheduled for January 7, 2024.
The CET will be chaired by the former Prime Minister of Jamaica, Hon. Bruce Golding.
The Commonwealth Secretary-General, the Rt Hon Patricia Scotland KC, announced the team following an invitation from the Bangladesh Election Commission (BEC).
Other members of the CET include Dr Samuel Azu’u Fonkam, former Chairman of Elections Cameroon; Mr. Sabyasachi Banerjee, Advocate and Special Public Prosecutor at Calcutta High Court, India; Ms. Pauline Njoroge, digital media specialist from Kenya; Mr. Jeffrey Salim Waheed, former Deputy Foreign Minister of Maldives; Ms. Hennah Joku, a media specialist from Papua New Guinea; Prof. Dinesha Samararatne, Professor at the Department of Public & International Law, Faculty of Law, University of Colombo, and Member of Constitutional Council of Sri Lanka; Ms. Terry Dale Ince, gender and human rights advocate, organisational development consultant, and Founder of CEDAW Committee of Trinidad and Tobago; and Mr. Mark Stephens, Partner at Howard Kennedy LLP and Member of Commonwealth Lawyers Association, United Kingdom.
Secretary-General Scotland noted the importance of facilitating peaceful and credible elections, stating that this deployment is part of the Commonwealth’s efforts to support the democratic process in member states.
She said: “The Commonwealth’s commitment to fostering peaceful, fair and credible elections is unwavering. Impartial and independent election observers provide valuable recommendations to improve the election process and strengthen the democratic processes.
Scotland expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Golding, the CET Chairman, and the eminent experts from across the Commonwealth for their involvement in this critical assignment.
The expert team, supported by staff from the Commonwealth Secretariat, will assess the election process and provide observations on its adherence to Bangladesh’s committed democratic standards.
Prime Minister Bruce Golding, Chairman of the CET, pledged an objective, transparent, and independent approach. He stated, “It is my honour and privilege to have been asked to lead this team and to once again, serve the Commonwealth. I am pleased to be collaborating with this expert team which, as is customary, includes experts from diverse backgrounds, countries and professions. In conducting our duties in Bangladesh, we pledge to remain objective, transparent and independent.”
While in Bangladesh, the CET’s itinerary includes meetings with various stakeholders, such as political parties, police, civil society groups, citizen observers, monitoring organisations, and media representatives.
Beginning January 6, the team will be deployed in small groups across the country to observe electoral preparations in their respective areas. On Election Day, the team will oversee the opening, voting, closing, counting, and results management processes.