The 12th National Parliamentary Election was called “free and fair” by Jim Bates, a former US congressman who is now an election watcher from the US.

“This election is already free and fair,” he told the press. “They keep talking about low numbers, but that’s not what it is. “In certain nations, you can vote until 5 or 6 p.m., or even for months,” he said. Bates said, “So when they say ‘low turnout,’ that’s something to play with the press.”

Jim Bates used to be a politician from San Diego, California. He worked for the Democratic Party. He served in the US House of Representatives for four terms, from 1983 to 1991. He was the first congressman to get penalized for sexual harassment.

Today, foreign experts went to a number of centers. “It looks calm right now.” One more witness said, “Hopefully that will stay the case all day.” There are currently about 127 foreign monitors in Dhaka to watch the 12th National Parliamentary Election.

Source: UNB