EC to launch 'Postal Vote BD' app for expats in November
The cost per postal ballot is Tk700, voters will not incur any charges
The Election Commission (EC) is set to introduce a hybrid postal voting system for overseas Bangladeshis, with the "Postal Vote BD" app scheduled to launch in the third week of November, Election Commissioner Abul Fazal Md Sanaullah announced today (24 September).
Speaking at a view exchange meeting at the EC Secretariat in Dhaka, connected online with the Bangladesh High Commission in London and expatriate voters, he said that the government's cost per postal vote will average Tk700. Of this amount, Tk500 will be spent on sending and returning the ballot by post, while the remaining Tk200 will cover other administrative expenses.
Voters themselves will not be required to pay any charges. "Although implementing postal voting is expensive, it is reasonable to ensure that the voting rights of our overseas citizens are fully realised," Sanaullah said.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
Low registration, past limitations, and the hybrid system
Highlighting global experiences, the commissioner said that registration and participation in postal voting among overseas Bangladeshis have been extremely low.
Registration for postal ballots stands at just 2.7%, while the voter turnout among those registered remains below 30%.
Drawing on India's experience, he noted that of nearly 40 million eligible overseas Indians, only 119,000 registered for postal voting, and a mere 2,900 actually cast their votes.
Although legal provisions for overseas voting have existed since 2008, logistical challenges and limited timeframes have prevented any votes from being cast from abroad. "After assigning symbols, voters previously had only seven to ten days before the election to receive and return ballots. In such a short period, sending ballots overseas and having them returned on time was impossible," Sanaullah explained.
To address these limitations, the EC is introducing a hybrid system. Registered overseas voters will first receive pre-printed ballot papers. Once the final candidate list is updated on the mobile app and website, voters can cross-check the information and cast their votes. After marking their choices, they will return the ballots via postal service, combining convenience with secure voting.
Challenges, registration, and global lessons
Sanaullah also discussed two major challenges associated with postal voting. First, maintaining voter secrecy to prevent undue influence, and second, last-minute changes to the candidate list following court orders, which could invalidate votes cast from abroad.
He noted that postal ballots have a high global wastage rate of 24%, meaning that one in four ballots sent overseas either does not reach voters or is returned too late to be counted.
Factors contributing to this include voters providing incorrect addresses, ballots being sent but not returned in time, or ballots being delayed. "Our primary challenge is ensuring that voters maintain the confidentiality of their choices and submit their ballots on time so that no voter is influenced or disenfranchised," he said.
The app for out-of-country voter registration will be launched in the second or third week of November, allowing overseas voters seven to ten days to register.
Sanaullah cited experiences from Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Malaysia, noting that even in countries with established postal voting systems, participation remains limited. In Malaysia, for example, only 54,000 out of 1.8 million eligible overseas voters registered in the last election.
Despite these challenges, the commissioner expressed optimism, saying that initial participation may be low, but awareness campaigns and time will gradually increase voter engagement. He urged authorities and citizens alike to promote registration and participation once the app is launched.
Sanaullah also confirmed that the EC will announce the election schedule in December, with voting expected in the first half of February next year. "We are starting this initiative to ensure participation, and though the initial turnout may be limited, we expect wider engagement over time," he added.
