Expats can register online anytime to vote; mock voting on 29 Nov: EC secretary

Bangladeshi expatriates can now register online to vote in national elections from anywhere in the world at any time, and a mock vote will be held on 29 November, Election Commission (EC) Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed said today (26 November).

The previously defined system, under which the world was divided into eight regions with five-day registration windows for each, has been withdrawn, he told reporters after a meeting with TikTok representatives at the EC Secretariat.

"From midnight tonight (27 November), the region-based restrictions and the five-day time slots will no longer apply. Expatriates can complete their registration from any part of the world at their convenience," he said.

The registration deadline of 18 December remains unchanged.

The EC will also hold mock voting (rehearsal) on Saturday (29 November) at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Government Girls' High School from 8am to 12pm, ahead of the national election and referendum scheduled for the same day.

"The mock voting results will guide our final decisions on whether to increase polling centres, adjust logistics, or change the number of booths and election personnel," the EC secretary said.

Referring to the ordinance issued yesterday allowing the national election and referendum to be held on the same day, Akhtar Ahmed said the EC had already begun preparations both on paper and in the field.

"You will be pleased to know we have been working well ahead of time," he added.

Earlier today in Dhaka, TikTok held a workshop with the EC focusing on ensuring accurate online election information and tackling misinformation ahead of the upcoming national polls.

The session was led by TikTok's Head of Public Policy and Government Relations for South Asia, Ferdous Mottakin.

According to the EC, TikTok will continue working with the commission and relevant stakeholders to strengthen election-related safety measures and ensure reliable information for Bangladeshi users.