A delegation from the US-based International Republican Institute (IRI) has confirmed that it will send at least 10 international observers to monitor Bangladesh's upcoming national election in February.

"We will have robust election observation in February," said Christopher J. Fussner, member of the Board of Directors of IRI and head of the delegation, after a meeting with Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus at the state guest house Jamuna today. He added that the deployment of observers would help reduce the chances of violence during the polls.

The IRI team is currently in Bangladesh to assess the pre-election environment and is scheduled to meet with all major political parties.

During the meeting, the delegation shared insights from previous election observations and exchanged views with the chief adviser on electoral reforms.

Fussner praised the prevailing political atmosphere, saying, "All parties want election. From our experience of the previous election, we can see a positive atmosphere."

The delegation also emphasised the importance of including local observers from civil society, such as student groups, to enhance transparency. They further cautioned about the dangers of false information during elections.

Chief Adviser Yunus echoed the concern, saying, "The biggest threat to democracy today is disinformation. It's well-planned, well-funded, and creates tension immediately. By the time the truth comes out, people have already reacted."

Other members of the delegation included Lisa Curtis, senior fellow and director of the Indo-Pacific Security Program at the Center for a New American Security (CNAS); Jessica Keegan, technical expert on Democratic Elections and Political Processes at IRI; Steve Cima, resident programme director at IRI; and Jami Spykerman, programme director at the National Democratic Institute (NDI).