The US will send a monitoring team in early October to assess the pre-polls situation ahead of Bangladesh's parliamentary elections, US Ambassador Peter Haas said today.
"I informed him [chief election commissioner] that in early October, US will send a pre-election monitoring team," Haas told reporters after a meeting with Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal at the Election Commission office today.
The team will comprise experts from the National Democratic Institute. International Republican Institute, and people with vast experience in election monitoring and election preparations.
He however said he could not currently provide the detailed schedule of the team.
Haas reached the EC office around 11:10am at the EC office to hold the meeting with the CEC, sources at the office said.
Election Commissioner Ahsan Habib and EC Secretary Jahangir Alam have also joined them at the scheduled meeting.
The agenda of the meeting could not be known immediately.
On June 8 last year, Peter Haas paid a courtesy call on CEC Habibul Awal and said they want a general election through which people of Bangladesh can freely choose their leaders.
The 12th national elections are likely to be held late December this year or early January next year.
