How expatriate Bangladeshis will vote in national election, referendum
‘Postal Vote BD’ app to launch on 18 November
Highlights:
- Expatriates can vote for the first time through a new postal voting system
- EC launches the Postal Vote BD app on 18 November for registration
- Overseas voters get four weeks to register with NID and address
- Ballots will feature 119 symbols plus a "No" option
- Expatriates can also join the upcoming referendum via postal ballot
- Embassies instructed to assist with registration and voter support
- Late-arriving postal ballots won't be counted
- EC targets 5 million postal voters at Tk700 cost per vote
Expatriate Bangladeshis will be able to vote in the upcoming national election and the national referendum for the first time, as the Election Commission (EC) prepares to introduce an IT-supported postal voting system.
Senior EC officials said the new arrangement is intended to ensure voting rights for millions of Bangladeshis living abroad, who will now be able to register and cast ballots through a dedicated mobile application.
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The EC has developed the "Postal Vote BD" app to facilitate registration for postal ballots. The app will be launched on 18 November, after which expatriates will have four weeks to complete registration.
Applicants must provide their NID number and an accurate overseas address, which the EC says is essential for ensuring proper delivery of ballot papers.
EC Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed said ballot papers will contain all 119 election symbols, including those of independent candidates and the "No" vote option. Expatriates will also be able to participate in the national referendum on the July certificate, where ballots will contain two choices: Yes or No.
"Expatriate voters must complete registration through the Postal Vote BD app before they can cast their vote," he told The Business Standard, adding that referendum ballots will be sent using the same Out of Country Voting (OCV) method.
The EC has begun an outreach campaign to encourage expatriates to download the app, verify their addresses, learn about the postal voting process, and understand how ballot tracking will work. The commission plans to allow three to four weeks of region-wise registration once the app is activated.
Instructions from embassies and election officials
During a virtual meeting with embassies and missions on 11 November, Election Commissioner Brig Gen (retd) Abul Fazal Md Sanaullah reviewed preparations and directed officials to ensure that registration schedules are followed. The app will include a question-and-answer section to support users across different regions.
He said that although registration deadlines are fixed, the commission may consider a short extension to accommodate applicants who are at risk of being left out due to the timing of the election schedule.
"Expatriates must return their postal ballots promptly once symbols are allocated. Ballots that arrive after the deadline will not be counted," Sanaullah said.
After the last day for withdrawing candidacy, returning officers will allocate symbols, and the postal department will then dispatch the ballots, he added.
The EC expects the return of completed postal ballots to begin in the second or third week of January. The postal department, in the presence of EC representatives, will ensure the security of the returned envelopes before they are handed to the respective returning officers.
How expatriates will cast postal ballots
Each voter will receive instructions in the ballot envelope. All election symbols will be printed on the ballot paper, while candidate names and symbols will become visible on the EC's digital platform once symbol allocation is complete.
Voters must mark their chosen symbol with a tick or cross, sign the declaration form and provide their NID numbers. Individuals who cannot sign due to disability or illiteracy may be assisted by another NID holder, who must mark the ballot in the voter's presence and certify the declaration form.
After marking the ballot, voters must place it inside the smaller postal ballot envelope, seal it, and then insert it into the larger return envelope addressed to the returning officer. The envelope must reach the returning officer before the consolidation of results. Ballots without properly certified declarations, or those arriving after the counting period, will be rejected.
Cost, challenges and EC targets
Election Commissioner Sanaullah said the government will spend an average of Tk700 per postal vote – Tk500 for sending and returning the ballots and Tk200 for other operational expenses. Expatriates will not be charged.
He said the commission's two main challenges are maintaining confidentiality and ensuring timely return. "Individual voters must protect the secrecy of their vote, and no one should influence them," he said.
According to the minutes of the OCV–SDI project, postal ballots will be dispatched abroad between 1 and 31 December, and all completed ballots must reach returning officers by the first week of February.
The EC aims to register up to 5 million postal voters, requiring an estimated Tk350 crore, and has instructed its Election Management Wing to arrange the necessary budget.
The commission will also procure 140 QR code readers for returning officers to verify ballots.
