Why expatriate Bangladeshis must have the right to vote

Illustration: TBS

The Bangladesh Constitution guarantees the right to vote in national, district, and local government elections to all citizens over the age of 18, regardless of caste, religion, social status, or economic status. Experts agree that this right should not be affected by where a citizen lives. However, this is clearly not the case for the 13 million-strong Bangladeshi diaspora spread around the world.

Bangladeshi expatriates, who make up around 7.5% of the country's population and 10% of its voters, are yet deprived of the right to vote. It is felt that the government should take steps to ensure expatriate voting as soon as possible.

Expatriates should have the right to vote for several reasons. First, as citizens of Bangladesh, they deserve to have a say in how their country is governed. Second, expatriates make significant contributions to the country's economy and development. They send billions of dollars in remittances back home each year, currently more than $20 billion, which helps to boost the economy. Third, expatriates are often aware of the politics back home and can play an important role in the election of qualified leaders in the country.

Guaranteeing expatriate voting in Bangladesh poses a number of challenges, but there are also a number of ways of overcoming those challenges. One option is postal voting, which would be the most convenient for expatriates but also the most expensive. Another option is to set up polling stations in major cities around the world, which would be less expensive than postal voting but still challenging due to the large number of expatriates. Postal voting could also be undertaken through Bangladesh missions abroad.

Postal voting is already available, but only for government officials on duty, both at home and abroad. However, there is no legal framework for expatriate voting, which is a challenge. Changes to the Representation of People Order (RPO) will be needed to address this issue.

Experts on Bangladeshi expatriate voting rights agree that expatriates should have the right to vote. They argue that this will strengthen democracy in the country by giving a voice to a marginalised group.

The Bangladesh Constitution does not require amendments for voting rights to be granted to expatriates. However, the government must act swiftly to enable them to have their say through exercising the right to vote. The prime minister's leadership in this regard is essential to overcome bureaucratic inertia and fulfil this long-overdue promise. Enfranchising Bangladeshi expatriates would be a historic achievement, reflecting the nation's appreciation for those who continue to enrich and empower the country from afar.

Brig Gen (retd) M Sakhawat Hossain, a former election commissioner, believes Bangladeshis living and working abroad play a significant role in the country's economic development, and as such should not be deprived of their right to vote.

He noted that ensuring expatriate voting is a complex task that requires legal amendments, significant manpower, and funding. It also requires a political decision, as the Election Commission cannot implement it on its own.

Once decided, the Election Commission will need to determine how expatriate voting will go through — postal voting, digital voting, or advance voting.

The commission and the government will need to identify any legal issues that require changes to existing laws or necessitate the enactment of a new law.

Working together, the commission and the government can implement expatriate voting within two to three years.

"When I was on the Election Commission, we tried to bring expatriates under the voting process, but we were unable to do so due to limitations in manpower and funds. We solicited the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which we did not get," Brig Gen Hossain added.

Twelve years have passed since then, and no significant progress has been made. "This is a waste of time," he added.

Once expatriate voting rights are guaranteed, the Election Commission will need to take steps to extend the same privilege to expatriates with dual citizenship.

In the opinion of the eminent local government expert Professor Tofail Ahmed, opening up postal voting for all citizens, including expatriates, will bring more than 20 million people under voting coverage and increase voter turnout by 30%.

However, this measure will require an amendment to the RPO, which currently limits postal voting to government officials and military personnel stationed outside the country.

He also noted that rules providing guidelines on how to implement postal voting would need to be developed.

The government has meanwhile taken some steps to explore expatriate voting. One of them was a pilot project to register expatriate voters in Malaysia in 2019. However, the project was put on hold due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The commission has stated that it is committed to implementing expatriate voting in the future, but the government has not yet announced a timeline.

In May, the Election Commission began registering expatriate voters in the United Arab Emirates through its missions in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, according to AKM Humayun Kabir, director general of the National Identity Card Registration Division at the EC. The commission will also undertake voter registration measures in the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, and Italy as part of its efforts to provide all Bangladeshis living abroad with National Identity cards.

EC Secretary Jahangir Alam said the Election Commission is currently focused on the upcoming national elections, which are expected to be held in January. Providing expatriates with the opportunity to vote is a complex task, and it is not currently on the commission's agenda.

Bangladesh lags behind other countries in granting voting rights to its expatriate citizens. More than 100 countries and territories around the globe now provide some form of voting rights to their expatriates, according to the International Institute for Democratic and Electoral Assistance.

Neighbouring countries are also in a similar situation 

India 

Indian expatriates can vote in their elections by filling out a form online or by mail. Registered overseas electors can cast their ballots in person at their polling station in India on Election Day, but the Election Commission is working on a system to allow them to vote by postal ballot.

Pakistan 

Pakistani expatriates cannot vote in Pakistani elections. Though there have been various proposals and drafts towards making it possible for overseas Pakistanis to vote, no concrete steps have been taken yet in this regard.

Nepal

Nepali expatriates do not currently have the right to vote in their elections, but there have been various proposals and initiatives undertaken to make it possible. In 2018, the Supreme Court of Nepal directed the government to ensure voting rights for Nepali citizens living abroad.

Sri Lanka

Sri Lankan expatriates do not currently have the right to vote in Sri Lankan elections. However, various proposals and initiatives have been made to enable them to do so. In 2015, the Sri Lankan government announced that it would work on a system to allow expatriate voting, but no concrete steps have been taken yet.

Bangladeshi expatriates clearly deserve the right to vote, given their immense contributions to the national economy and unwavering patriotism as reflected in their activities abroad. It is time for Bangladesh to join the global trend of recognising the voting rights of its overseas citizens. This decision will enrich the nation's democratic fabric and will also be an expression of gratitude to those who tirelessly work to improve Bangladesh's image and prosperity on the global stage.  

Fardaus Mobarok is a Senior Sub-editor at The Business Standard