Dhaka: The Election Commission (EC) has announced that Bangladeshi expatriates can register as voters by submitting either valid or expired Bangladeshi passports, or foreign passports. This decision aims to facilitate the voter registration process for Bangladeshi nationals living abroad.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the EC has also mandated that a certificate confirming the applicant’s Bangladeshi citizenship, signed by three Bangladeshi NID holders residing in the same foreign country, will be accepted as a valid document. This directive, issued by Khan Abi Shahanur Khan, Director (Registration and Expatriates) of the EC’s NID Wing, was communicated to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, ambassadors, and high commissioners.
The circular, titled “Voter Registration and National ID Issuance for Bangladeshi Expatriates,” details the required documentation. Applicants need to submit an online filled application form-2 (Ka), and for those in the 56 upazilas/thanas in the Chattogram Division designated as “Special Area,” a “Special Information Form” is required. Other necessary documents include a copy of a valid or expired Bangladeshi passport, a foreign passport, or an attestation certificate by three Bangladeshi NID holders, a copy of an online verified Bangladeshi birth certificate, a passport-size color photograph, and copies of parents’ identification documents.
Additional documents may include educational certificates, driving licenses, TINs, marriage certificates, spouse’s NID, and utility bills, among others, where applicable. Documents marked with an asterisk (*) must be submitted at the registration center, while other documents can be submitted by the applicant or their representative in Bangladesh.
The circular emphasizes that an on-site investigation report by the concerned upazila/thana election officer will be mandatory based on the information provided in “Form-2 Ka.” The EC has urged all relevant parties to take the necessary actions in compliance with this circular.