Former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has been appointed to lead a Commonwealth observer mission for Bangladesh’s upcoming parliamentary elections and a national referendum, both scheduled for February 12, 2026.
Akufo-Addo will chair the 14-member Commonwealth Observer Group, which will monitor Bangladesh’s 13th parliamentary elections as well as a referendum on the July Charter — a reform framework proposed after recent political unrest that seeks changes to the country’s political and constitutional system.
The Commonwealth said the observer mission was deployed following an invitation from the Bangladesh Election Commission.
Announcing the team in London, Commonwealth Secretary-General Shirley Botchwey said the group’s role was to assess whether the elections and referendum are conducted in a credible, transparent and inclusive manner, in line with Bangladesh’s laws and international commitments.
She said the mission reflects the Commonwealth’s support for democratic governance and long-term stability, adding that observers would act independently and impartially throughout the process.
Akufo-Addo will be joined by experts drawn from across the Commonwealth, including specialists in politics, law, media, gender issues and election administration. The team will be supported by a Commonwealth Secretariat staff led by Linford Andrews, Head and Adviser of the Electoral Support Section.
The Observer Group will issue a final report after the polls, outlining its findings and recommendations. The report will be shared with the Government of Bangladesh, the election commission, political parties, Commonwealth member states and the public.
In a post on Facebook, Akufo-Addo said he was “honoured” to serve as chair of the observer group for the elections and referendum.
Members of the Commonwealth Observer Group
Chairperson: HE Nana Akufo Addo, Former President of Ghana
- 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
