The International Republican Institute (IRI) has described Bangladesh’s February 12 parliamentary elections as a key milestone in the country’s ongoing democratic transition.

“Security forces and the Election Commission performed admirably. After years of authoritarian rule, Election Day was mostly peaceful and incident-free. Given the historical context, that is a big step forward for Bangladesh,” said former US congressman David Dreier, who headed the IRI observer delegation.

In a statement, IRI said it deployed a high-level international delegation to Dhaka from 9 to 13 February to evaluate the conduct of 2026 elections.

According to its preliminary findings, the delegation described the polls as “an inflection point” as Bangladesh navigates a complex democratic transition following the July 2024 uprising that brought an end to more than 15 years of rule by Awami League.

While the delegation found the technical administration of the election to be sound, it noted that the broader political environment remains fragile and urged candidates and political actors to resolve disputes through legal means.

The report stated that the pre-election period was comparatively peaceful, although clashes were reported in several districts.

Voter turnout reached 59 percent, with notable participation from first-time voters, particularly those under the age of 35.

The Election Commission was commended for its logistical preparedness, operational transparency and reforms, including the introduction of postal voting for expatriates, updated accreditation criteria for citizen observers and a nationwide voter education campaign.

However, the delegation observed the underrepresentation of women and members of ethnic and religious minorities among candidates, though it found no evidence of widespread targeting of minority communities on Election Day.

Voting generally began on schedule, with adequate materials available and the counting process was described as transparent and efficient. Layered security measures were credited with containing isolated incidents.

IRI said it will continue to monitor the post-election environment and will publish a final report offering detailed analysis and recommendations.