Jakarta:For the first time in its history, the Election Commission (EC) of Bangladesh has included expatriates and officials engaged in election duties within the country under its postal voting system for the upcoming 13th National Parliamentary Election. This technology-based 'IT-Supported Postal Voting System' has been fully developed in Bangladesh and has drawn international attention.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, both Nepal and Sri Lanka are interested in adopting Bangladesh's postal voting technology and experience. The successful implementation of this system has highlighted the potential for finding sustainable solutions to technical issues in electoral processes. EC officials believe that if other countries adopt this technology, it will enhance Bangladesh’s international image and the technology's acceptability.
Saleem Ahmad Khan, team leader of the EC's 'Out of Country Voting System and Implementation' project, stated that the postal voting system is a unique innovation worldwide, of significant global importance. He noted that the Nepalese delegation independently expressed their interest, while Sri Lanka showed interest during an EC team's visit in September.
Dr. Rajib Subba, Election Commissioner of Nepal, praised the success of Bangladesh's model, highlighting its potential for countries like Nepal. He expressed a desire for technical support from Bangladesh as Nepal plans to introduce postal voting for expatriates in its upcoming provincial elections. Dr. Subba emphasized the importance of voter education to help Nepali workers in the Gulf region and other countries become accustomed to the new technology.
The main purpose of the Nepalese delegation's visit was to gain direct experience with the IT-supported postal voting process. This is their third round of discussions with the Bangladesh team, and they plan to introduce the system in a provincial election within the next one and a half years.
A 6-member Nepali delegation, including Election Commissioner Dr. Janaki Kumari Tuladhar and other officials, met with Bangladesh's Chief Election Commissioner A M M Nasir Uddin and senior EC officials. They gained firsthand experience of the postal voting system's operational and technical aspects.