Dhaka: The registration process for expatriate voters in seven countries, including Saudi Arabia, has been resumed through the 'Postal Vote BD' mobile app to facilitate voting via postal ballot in the upcoming 13th National Parliament Election and Referendum. The announcement was made by EC Secretariat Director (Public Relations) and Information Officer Md. Ruhul Amin Mallick.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the registration process for expatriate voters in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Malaysia has been resumed from 3:15 pm today. Expatriates are required to provide their correct address in these countries to receive postal ballots by post, with the option to use the address of a friend, relative, or nearby institution if necessary.
Earlier, EC Secretariat Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed and OCV and SDI Project Team Leader Brigadier General (Retd) Salim Ahmad Khan highlighted challenges faced by expatriate voters in providing accurate address details, which previously led to a temporary suspension of the registration process. They emphasized the importance of entering addresses in English with full postal codes to ensure ballot delivery.
Ahmed confirmed that the registration period, set to continue until December 18, is deemed sufficient. Measures are being implemented to ensure all eligible voters are registered, after which preparations for printing and distributing the ballots will proceed.
As of 4:45 pm on Sunday, 95,450 expatriates have successfully completed their registration through the app. This initiative marks the first time expatriate Bangladeshis will participate in national elections via postal ballots, representing a significant development in the country's electoral process.