EC rolls out 'postal vote BD' app for expatriate Bangladeshi voters

The Election Commission (EC) has announced who will be eligible to cast their votes through postal ballots in the upcoming national election.

As part of the IT-supported postal voting system for the 13th National Parliamentary Election, the EC will launch a mobile application named "Postal Vote BD" on 18 November. 

Through this app, the commission aims to ensure that expatriate Bangladeshi voters can exercise their voting rights from abroad.

The decision was revealed at a meeting of the Postal Ballot Planning Committee, signed by EC Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed on 6 November.

According to the EC, under this new system, along with expatriate Bangladeshis, a few other specific categories of voters will also be able to cast their votes following prescribed procedures.

Expatriates will need to register through the "Postal Vote BD" mobile app to participate in the postal voting system. Additionally, government officials and employees, polling officers, and voters under lawful custody will be allowed to vote through this process.

As per the commission's decision, detailed plans for the formal inauguration of the "Postal Vote BD" app have been finalised in the meeting. 

The app will be officially launched on 18 November, a date chosen to ensure the participation of expatriate Bangladeshis.

The inauguration ceremony will be attended by heads and representatives of all Bangladeshi embassies and missions abroad, representatives of registered expatriate organisations, divisional commissioners and deputy commissioners, as well as all regional and district election officers.

The chief election commissioner will formally inaugurate the mobile application.