Expatriates can vote from anywhere in the world: CEC

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin has announced that no matter where Bangladeshis live, expatriates will be able to cast their votes in the upcoming election with the help of modern technology. He described the initiative as a historic milestone in the country’s democratic journey.

In a video message published on the Election Commission’s official YouTube channel on Tuesday night (September 30), the CEC elaborated on the process of voting from abroad.

“For the first time, Bangladeshi citizens living abroad will be able to vote in a simple and effective way using modern technology. This is a historic milestone in our democratic journey,” he said.

Explaining the process, the CEC said expatriates must register under the “Out-of-Country Voting” system. For this purpose, the EC will soon launch a mobile application named Postal Vote BD. Voters will need to download the app on their mobile phones, where an instructional video will guide them step by step through the registration.

During registration, expatriates must provide their National ID card, passport details, and overseas address. They will also need to complete face identification and liveness detection through the app. Once registration is completed, ballot papers will be sent to their overseas address along with a return envelope to send the ballot back to the Election Commission.

“After casting your vote, you will only need to post the envelope at your local post office. It will reach the designated address we have provided. If you are a Bangladeshi expatriate and wish to vote, you must complete the registration process. We hope all our expatriate brothers and sisters will take advantage of this opportunity,” the CEC added.

He further said that detailed information on the voting process will be available through the Postal Vote BD app, instructional videos, Bangladeshi embassies or missions abroad, the Election Commission’s official website, and state-run media.