127 foreign election observers, 60 already arrive: Foreign secy

A total of 127 foreign observers or experts are likely to observe the January 7 general election while 60 out of them have already arrived in Dhaka, Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen said on Thursday.

"So far 60 foreign observers or experts have arrived here and all together 127 have scheduled to come. Besides, 73 foreign journalists have received accreditations and among them, 17 have already arrived," he said.

The foreign secretary revealed it while talking to reporters after the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) briefed the foreign diplomats stationed in Dhaka.

Masud said most of the foreign election observers and journalists will arrive here by tonight and tomorrow morning.

He said the observers will monitor the polls in Dhaka and also outside Dhaka.

"We can't determine where they will go, but we have suggested them to choose the destinations those have air connectivity," Masud added.

The foreign secretary said the government would provide security to the foreign diplomats and offered local hospitality to officials of the election commissions of other countries.

More than 50 diplomats of different countries stationed in Dhaka attended the briefing where the CEC informed them of the latest updates on the preparation of Sunday's election.

He said the CEC was able to make the diplomats understand that there is no lack of sincerity and dedication from the election commission to hold a free and fair election.

Replying to a query, the foreign secretary said, after the briefing, the Western diplomats told him that they are well briefed as the election commission updated him about the polls time to time.