Akufo-Addo to Lead Commonwealth Observer Group to Bangladesh for Elections and Referendum

Former President of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, will lead a 14-member Commonwealth Observer Group to Bangladesh’s 13th parliamentary elections and the referendum on the July Charter.

Akufo-Addo will be joined by experts from across the Commonwealth, including professionals in politics, law, media, gender, and election administration.

The Observer Group will be supported by a Secretariat team led by Linford Andrews, Head and Adviser, Electoral Support Section.

The mandate of the Commonwealth Observer Group is to observe the electoral process and provide an independent assessment of whether the elections and referendum are conducted in a credible, transparent, and inclusive manner.

This was announced by Commonwealth Secretary-General, Hon. Shirley Botchwey, in London, following an invitation from the Bangladesh Election Commission.

Announcing the deployment, Shirley said Commonwealth’s presence in Bangladesh is guided by the responsibility to observe as well as a commitment to uphold the aspirations of the Bangladeshi people at this crucial moment in their democratic journey, acting independently and impartially to help ensure that their collective will is freely expressed.

“As we deploy our team to observe the elections and referendum being held concurrently in Bangladesh, we reaffirm the fundamental importance of credible, transparent and inclusive electoral processes in strengthening democratic governance and supporting long-term stability.”

The Group will report on the conduct of the electoral process in line with the standards to which Bangladesh has committed itself, including its national laws.

Upon completion of its mission, the Observer Group will submit a report containing its findings and recommendations to the Commonwealth Secretary-General.

The report will subsequently be shared with the Government of Bangladesh, the Bangladesh Election Commission, political parties, all Commonwealth governments, and made publicly available.

The Charter is a post-uprising reform framework proposing political and constitutional changes.

Both polls are scheduled for February 12, 2026.

Below are other members of the Observer Group:
-Mrs Lebrechtta Nana Oye Hesse-Bayne, President of Caribbean Women in Leadership (CiWiL) in Antigua and Barbuda
-Mr Neil Philip Ford, Canadian Communications specialist
-Ms Miliana Iga Ramatanivai, Coordinator for Pacific Youth Council in Fiji
-Datuk (Dr) Ras Adiba Mohd Radzi, Former Malaysia Senator
-H.E Jeffrey Salim Waheed, Former Maldivian Deputy Minister for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
-Mr Mohammad Irfan Abdool Rahman, Mauritius Electoral Commissioner
-Prof. David John Francis, Former Sierra Leonean Foreign Minister
-Ms Sangeetha Yogendran, Singaporean Human Rights Lawyer
-Prof. Mandla Mchunu, Former South African Chief Electoral Officer
-Dr Dinesha Samararatne, Professor of the Department of Public & International Law, Faculty of Law of the University of Colombo in Sri Lanka
-Prof. Winifred Mary Tarinyeba Kiryabwire, Ugandan Associate Professor of Law
-Ms Rosemary Ajayi, Britain Social Media Expert
-Mr Kryticous Patrick Nshindano, Former Zambian Chief Electoral Officer