Australia will join a large contingent of international observers to help monitor elections in Bangladesh to be held next Monday.
International Development Assistance secretary Bob McMullen, Liberal MP Sharman Stone and two Australian Electoral Commission officials will help observe the elections.
"It's an important transition back to democracy after a period of military dominated government and it's very important," McMullen told ABC Radio on Tuesday.
"This is a big country in our region, the Indian Ocean is important to us, South Asia is important to us," he said.
Bangladesh has been under the control of a caretaker government which in January last year cancelled elections and imposed a state of emergency after months of political violence.