1,30,672 expatriates register for postal ballot voting
Meanwhile, the EC has extended the registration deadline for expatriate voters through the app up to 25 December
A total of 1,30,672 Bangladeshi expatriate voters have so far registered through the mobile application to cast their votes via postal ballots in the 13th national parliamentary election and the referendum.
According to the Election Commission (EC) website, as of 12:15pm today (2 December), 1,30,672 expatriate voters had completed registration through the 'Postal Vote BD' app.
Among them, 1,14,083 are male and 16,589 are female.
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Country-wise registration figures include: United States - 18,420; Saudi Arabia - 13,014; South Korea - 9,397; Singapore - 9,083; Canada - 8,768; Australia - 7,553; United Kingdom - 7,551; Japan - 6,810; Italy - 5,369; and Malaysia - 5,027.
Meanwhile, the EC has extended the registration deadline for expatriate voters through the app up to 25 December. Earlier, registration was open until 11:59pm on 18 December.
"We had initially set the deadline until 18 December for out-of-country voting. That deadline has now been extended to midnight of December 25," said Akhtar Ahmed, senior secretary of the EC Secretariat.
"Many expatriates requested an extension, and since we saw the opportunity, we acted on it. Now, anyone from anywhere in the world can download the app and register to vote," Akhtar Ahmed added.
He also said the In-Country Postal Voting (ICPV) system will be introduced for government officials involved in the election process, voters under legal custody, and government employees staying outside their electoral constituencies.
The ICPV registration window will remain open for 15 days after the announcement of the election schedule.
On 18 November, the Chief Election Commissioner inaugurated the 'Postal Vote BD' application and announced the registration timeline for voters in 148 designated countries for the 13th national election.
To vote via postal ballot, expatriate voters must use a mobile number from the country where they intend to cast their vote. To register, users need to download and install the 'Postal Vote BD' app from the Google Play Store or the App Store.
The app allows users to select Bangla or English to view instructions and required documents. Providing an accurate address is essential to ensure timely receipt of the ballot abroad.
