Islamabad, December 30; PILDAT Executive Director Mr. Ahmed Bilal Mehboob is part of the 9-member Commonwealth Observation Group to observe Bangladesh General Election held on December 29, 2008.

The Commonwealth Observation Group to Bangladesh is headed by former President of Mauritius H. E. Cassam Uteem while other notable members include Mr. B. B. Tandon, Former Chief Electoral Commissioner of India and Dr Sharman Stone, MP, Shadow Minister for Citizenship and Immigration, Australia, among others.

This election in Bangladesh is considered extremely important for the country�s democratic future after two-years of military-backed rule and emergency. The observation group offers opportunity of comparison and analysis of the Bangladeshi electoral and political process with that of Pakistan and the region at large.

Commonwealth Election Observation Group will be in Bangladesh till January 05, 2009. Further details about the group are available at the Commonwealth website at:

http://www.thecommonwealth.org/Templates/Internal.asp?NodeID=186104