The Bangladesh Election Commission (EC) has launched an IT-supported postal voting system to facilitate remote vote casting from both home and abroad.
A mobile phone app titled 'Postal Vote BD' has been introduced for this purpose.
Due to the hybrid solution, a combination of smartphone app and postal ballot, eligible expatriates, government officials on election duty, and members of the armed forces will be able to exercise their voting rights in the upcoming national election.
Chief Election Commissioner A M M Nasir Uddin formally unveiled the platform at a programme at the EC headquarters in the capital's Agargon area on Tuesday.
Election Commissioners, senior officials, invited guests and representatives from relevant government agencies and private sector officials attended the event.
Also a number of government officials in different embassies abroad joined the programme virtually.
According to the EC, the new app aims to open a new avenue of voting system by ensuring a faster, secure and more user-friendly process for non-resident Bangladeshi voters.
Speaking at the ceremony, CEC A M M Nasir Uddin said the initiative marks a substantial advancement in the digital transformation of election management.
"It has been a historical day for the country," he said adding that 13 million people living abroad have been deprived of their rights for more than five decades.
He noted that ensuring their democratic citizenship is essential for the country,
He also said the entire process has been completed within a short span of three months.
"We are moving to ensure an inclusive democracy through this," he said.
EC Senior Secretary Akhter Ahmed said in addition to NRBs, people deployed in different roles for holding the election inside the country will be benefited from the platform by exercising their voting rights.
Election Commissioner Abul Fazal Sanaullah said 2024-2025 has been a super year for national elections across the world, but 2026 is going be particularly important for Bangladesh. There has been structural flaw in electoral system as 8-9 per cent of the population stay abroad who cannot caste their votes, he added.
A research study was also conducted before launching the process, he said adding that on an average Tk 700 will be required to conduct one diaspora vote.
He added that, like all other out-of-country voting (OCV) systems, there are several challenges, including ballot paper wastage, lack of awareness, cybersecurity concerns, and technical glitches.
A NRB voter will need to download a mobile app and register himself with the system. The EC will then send a postal ballot to voter's mailing address. After marking the ballot, the voter must send back to Bangladesh using envelope provided.
Registration process begins today (Wednesday).
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