Staff Reporter :
Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) A. M. M. Nasir Uddin has said that no matter where in the world they live, expatriates will be able to cast their votes this time with the help of modern technology.
He noted that this will be marked as a historic milestone in the democratic journey of the country.
For the first time, Bangladeshi citizens living abroad will have the opportunity to vote, and the CEC assured that this process is being made “much easier and more effective with modern technology.”
He made these remarks in a video message released Tuesday night on the official YouTube channel of the Election Commission.
A. M. M. Nasir Uddin said: “To vote from abroad, you must first register for Out-of-Country Voting. For this purpose, we will very soon launch a mobile application named ‘Postal Vote BD.’ You will have to download this app on your mobile phone.
Once downloaded, there will be an instructional video inside, where you will receive guidance step by step on what you need to do.”
He further explained: “While registering on the ‘Postal Vote BD’ app, you will need your NID card and passport details, along with your overseas address. Through this app, you will have to complete ‘face identification’ and ‘liveness detection.'”
The CEC said: “After completing this process and registration, your ballot paper will be delivered to your overseas address, and along with it, you will also receive the envelope in which the ballot paper must be returned to us.”
Regarding the voting process, he said: “After casting your vote, you just need to post the envelope at the post office. It will reach the designated address we have provided.
If you are a Bangladeshi citizen, living abroad, and wish to vote, you must take this opportunity to register. We hope all our brothers and sisters living abroad will make use of this opportunity.”
The CEC added that detailed information regarding voting will be available through the instructional video in the Postal Vote BD app, at Bangladesh embassies or missions abroad, on the Election Commission’s website, and also through official government media.
He said: “Just like a child takes its first step, this is our very first step for expatriate voting. It is a historic beginning. We want to walk this historic journey together with our brothers and sisters abroad, and with your active participation, we will be able to implement it more effectively.”
The CEC further said: “With the help of today’s mobile and information technology, we have taken the initiative to make your voting process much more accessible and easier. For the very first time, the Election Commission is taking this step.
Let us join together in this historic initiative and play an active role in a participatory election. Let us ensure together that no matter where in the world we live, every Bangladeshi voice is heard.”
