Postal ballots spark fresh controversy ahead of polls

Abu Jakir :

A controversy has erupted over the country’s newly introduced postal voting system even before voting has begun, after videos circulating online showed large numbers of postal ballots being handled inside a private residence, prompting allegations of manipulation from the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).

The videos, widely shared on social media over the past few days, appear to show several individuals counting stacks of ballot papers meant for the upcoming national election. Envelopes visible in the footage bear addresses in Bahrain, raising questions about the security and handling of ballots sent to expatriate voters.

BNP leaders said they have already lodged a formal complaint with the Election Commission (EC), expressing concern over both the handling of overseas postal ballots and what they described as “strategic bias” in the serial order of party symbols printed on those ballots.

In its complaint, the party alleged that some postal ballots sent abroad, particularly to Bahrain, were being “handled” through an individual linked to a political party. BNP demanded that the EC immediately correct the ballots and ensure that no disputed postal ballots are used inside the country.

“Before voting has even started, the credibility of the postal ballot process is under a cloud,” BNP leader Nazrul Islam Khan said after visiting the commission, adding that the party fears the system could be exploited to influence results in closely contested constituencies.

Apart from these, Foreign Adviser Touhid Hossain also acknowledged concerns over the misuse of postal ballots, stating: “Missions cannot do much if ballots are sent fraudulently, either domestically or abroad.

Although postal voting has long existed in Bangladesh for government employees posted outside their constituencies, election officials have, for the first time, extended the system to expatriate voters.

Under the revised law, introduced alongside the “IT-supported postal ballot” mechanism, overseas Bangladeshis are now eligible to register through the “Postal Vote BD” app. Registration closed on January 5.

According to EC sources, postal voter registration has been approved for 1,527,155 voters across the country’s 300 constituencies. Of them, more than 760,000 are expatriates, while the rest registered domestically, including nearly 575,000 government employees, about 160,000 election officials, roughly 10,000 Ansar and VDP members, and more than 6,000 prisoners.

Officials said the process of sending postal ballots to registered voters has begun, though it is not yet complete.

However, voting through these ballots will only start after January 21, once the final list of candidates is confirmed and symbols are officially allocated. The EC said that on January 20, after the deadline for withdrawal of candidacies, registered postal voters will be informed of their respective candidates and symbols through the app.

The scale of postal voting has also drawn attention. Election officials noted that in 18 constituencies, more than 10,000 voters have registered for postal ballots.

Analysts say that in such seats, postal votes could prove decisive, especially where margins of victory are traditionally slim. In the 2008 parliamentary election, at least 30 constituencies were decided by fewer than 10,000 votes.

Election experts caution that although postal voters account for only about one percent of the total electorate — out of 127,695,183 voters nationwide — their concentration in specific seats could significantly influence outcomes.

Former additional EC Secretary Jasmin Tuly said constituencies with 10,000 or more postal voters could see their results shaped by this segment. “If 70 to 80 percent of those votes go to a single candidate, it can become a determining factor,” she said.

Abdul Alim, a member of the interim government’s Election System Reform Commission, said overseas voting could reshape area-based politics.

“Many expatriates from the same constituency live in one or two countries and often share similar political preferences. Since they were unable to vote before, their participation this time could have a major impact on results,” he said.

Concerns have also been raised about the vulnerability of postal ballots. Election Commissioner (retd) Brig Gen Abul Fazal Md Sanaullah recently noted at a public programme that globally, about 24 percent of postal ballots fail to reach their destination, pointing to a significant risk of wastage.

Others warn of the danger to ballot secrecy if votes are cast after ballots are received early. However, senior EC secretary Akhtar Ahmed has said maintaining secrecy is the voter’s responsibility and that any breach could lead to the blocking of the individual’s national identity card.

For now, the Election Commission has not publicly detailed any corrective measures in response to BNP’s allegations. But with overseas ballots already being dispatched and voting set to begin only after candidates and symbols are finalised next week, the controversy is likely to intensify in the days leading up to the formal start of postal voting.