16/02/2026 (Agence Europe) – In a press release published on Saturday 14 February, the European External Action Service welcomed the “genuinely competitive” parliamentary elections and referendum held in Bangladesh two days earlier. The EU praised this “pivotal step towards restoring democratic governance and Rule of law”, more than a year and a half after the revolution that led to the fall of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the formation of an interim government. A European electoral observation mission deployed to the country also described the electoral process as “credible and competently managed”. The EU is now calling on the new Parliament to implement the constitutional and judicial reforms supported by the referendum. It says it is ready to intensify its relations with the future government, while making its support conditional on respect for democratic principles and human rights. (JM)