DHAKA, July 17, 2025 (BSS) - The Election Commission (EC) has issued the Election Observation Guidelines 2025 for domestic observers ahead of the 13th National Parliamentary Elections. 

According to the new guidelines, observer organizations may deploy observers for three days — the day before the election, on the Election Day, and the day after the election.

To qualify as an election observer, individuals must be at least 21 years old and have passed Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) examination or its equivalent qualification, revealed Md. Shariful Alam, Director of Public Relations at the EC Secretariat.

The newly issued guidelines replace the 2023 version and repealed the registrations of the 96 observer organizations previously authorized under the earlier policy.

Observers’ Requirements: The guidelines stated that to be appointed as an observer, one must be a Bangladeshi citizen, at least 21 years old, and have a minimum educational qualification of HSC or its equivalent. 

Observers must be nominated by a registered or approved observer organization. Individuals affiliated with any political party or its affiliated bodies, or those with any personal or financial interest in a contesting candidate, are not eligible to serve as election observers.

Deployment protocol: Only observers from EC-approved organizations will be permitted to monitor the electoral process. These organizations may deploy observers for three days surrounding the election. Moreover, observers must not be residents or voters of their respective electoral constituency where they are deployed.

Md. Ashadul Haque, Assistant Director of Public Relations at the EC, said several new provisions have been incorporated into the latest guidelines. 

While the EC has raised the minimum educational requirement for observers, it has simultaneously reduced the minimum age limit from previous policies, he said. 

He added that the observer registrations, approved during the 12th parliamentary elections have now been annulled.