Former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is set to lead a 14-member Commonwealth Observer Group for Bangladesh’s forthcoming parliamentary elections and a nationwide referendum, both scheduled for February 12, 2026.

The announcement was made in London on January 21, 2026, by the Commonwealth Secretary-General, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, following a formal invitation from the Bangladesh Election Commission. 

The Observer Group will monitor Bangladesh’s 13th parliamentary elections, which are to be held concurrently with a referendum on the July Charter, a post-uprising reform framework proposing wide-ranging political and constitutional changes.

In announcing the deployment, the Secretary-General underscored the importance of the mission at a critical moment in Bangladesh’s democratic journey. “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,” she said.

She added that the Commonwealth’s engagement goes beyond routine observation. “Our presence in Bangladesh is guided not only by the responsibility to observe, but by 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.”

Botchwey also expressed appreciation to members of the Observer Group for their commitment, noting: “I extend my sincere appreciation to these eminent Commonwealth citizens who have dedicated the beginning of their new year to preparing for this significant assignment in support of the people of Bangladesh.”

President Akufo-Addo will chair the Observer Group and will be joined by election experts and professionals drawn from across the Commonwealth, spanning fields such as politics, law, media, gender advocacy and election administration. The group will be supported by a Secretariat team led by Linford Andrews, Head and Adviser at the Commonwealth’s Electoral Support Section.

The mandate of the Commonwealth Observer Group is to assess the entire electoral process and determine whether the elections and referendum are conducted in a credible, transparent and inclusive manner. Its work will be guided by the standards and principles to which Bangladesh has committed itself, including its national legal framework.

At the conclusion of the mission, the group is expected to submit a detailed report containing its findings and recommendations to the Commonwealth Secretary-General. The report will then be shared with the Government of Bangladesh, the Bangladesh Election Commission, political parties, all Commonwealth governments and made available to the public.

The Observer Group brings together a diverse team of eminent personalities, including former ministers, electoral commissioners, legal scholars, civil society leaders and media experts from Antigua and Barbuda, Canada, Fiji, Malaysia, the Maldives, Mauritius, Sierra Leone, Singapore, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Uganda, the United Kingdom and Zambia.

Members of the Commonwealth Observer Group;

Chairperson: HE Nana Akufo-Addo, Former President of Ghana

Observers (in alphabetical order of nationality):

Mrs. Lebrechtta Nana Oye Hesse-Bayne, President, Caribbean Women in Leadership (CiWiL), Antigua and Barbuda

Mr Neil Philip Ford, Communications specialist, Canada

Ms Miliana Iga Ramatanivai, Coordinator, Pacific Youth Council, Fiji

Datuk (Dr) Ras Adiba Mohd Radzi, Former Senator, Malaysia

H.E Jeffrey Salim Waheed, Former Deputy Minister, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Maldives

Mr Mohammad Irfan Abdool Rahman, Electoral Commissioner, Mauritius

Prof. David John Francis, Former Foreign Minister, Sierra Leone

Ms Sangeetha Yogendran, Human Rights Lawyer, Singapore

Prof. Mandla Mchunu, Former Chief Electoral Officer, Electoral Commission, South Africa

Dr Dinesha Samararatne, Professor, Department of Public & International Law, Faculty of Law, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka

Prof. Winifred Mary Tarinyeba Kiryabwire, Associate Professor of Law, Uganda

Ms Rosemary Ajayi, Social Media Expert, United Kingdom

Mr Kryticous Patrick Nshindano, Former Chief Electoral Officer, Zambia