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Over 500,000 Bangladeshi Expats Vote by Post in Historic National Election

More than 500,000 Bangladeshi expatriates have cast their votes via a new postal ballot system ahead of the country's pivotal national election. This marks the first formal participation of overseas voters in a Bangladeshi national election. The election occurs nearly two years after the July Uprising that ousted former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Hundreds of international observers and journalists are in the country to monitor the polls and a concurrent constitutional referendum.

Key Points: 500K+ Bangladeshi Expats Vote by Post Ahead of National Election

  • First-time overseas voting in national election
  • Over 1.5 million total postal registrations
  • Election follows 2024 political upheaval
  • Results expected February 13
2 min read

Over 500,000 Bangladeshi expatriates exercised franchise through postal ballots ahead of country's national elections

Over half a million Bangladeshi expatriates cast postal votes in a historic first for the country's 13th National Parliamentary Election.

"515,619 expatriates had successfully cast their votes - Dhaka Tribune"

Dhaka, February 11

More than half a million Bangladeshi expatriates have exercised their franchise through postal ballots ahead of the country's 13th National Parliamentary Election and referendum, Dhaka Tribune reported, marking the first time overseas voters have formally taken part in a national election.

Citing Election Commission (EC) data, the report said that as of 9:15 am (local time) Wednesday, 515,619 expatriates had successfully cast their votes using the IT-enabled postal voting system.

Salim Ahmad Khan, team leader of the OCV-SDI project overseeing expatriate voter registration, said 766,862 ballots were dispatched abroad to voters who registered via the Postal Vote BD app. Among them, 528,579 voters received their ballots, and 515,619 completed the voting process.

He further noted that 573,722 expatriates submitted their ballots at post offices or designated post boxes in their respective countries. Of these, 444,033 completed ballots have been received so far by the relevant returning officers in Bangladesh.

In total, 1,096,284 postal votes have been cast so far, including expatriates, election-duty officials, and eligible prisoners, according to the report.

In Bangladesh, 768,098 registered voters received postal ballots. Of them, 610,065 received the documents, and 586,066 completed voting. So far, 561,013 voters have deposited their ballots, while 438,095 have been delivered to returning officers, as per Dhaka Tribune

The Postal Vote BD website shows that 1,533,684 voters, both at home and abroad, registered to vote by post in the upcoming parliamentary election and referendum, the Dhaka Tribune added.

Voting is scheduled for tomorrow in Bangladesh (February 12). The results are expected to be confirmed on Friday, February 13.

The election is a pivotal moment in the country's history, with the Awami League banned from participating and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Jamaat, which is leading an alliance with the National Citizen Party (NCP), along with other parties on a seat-sharing basis, as the main players.

The electoral landscape has also shifted significantly, making it challenging to predict the outcome.

The February 12 National Polls come almost two years after the July Uprising in 2024, which led to the ousting of former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The Constitutional Referendum, the July National Charter, is also scheduled for the same day.According to the Chief Adviser's Press Wing, a total of 394 international election observers and 197 foreign journalists have arrived in the country to observe the 13th general election.

A total of 240 observers are from bilateral countries, including independent European observers. Another 51 are individuals affiliated with different global institutions.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
Over 500k votes from abroad is no small feat. Shows the diaspora's strong connection to their homeland. Hope the election process remains peaceful and credible. The international observers are a good sign.
A
Aman W
The political situation there seems very complex. Awami League banned, BNP leading an alliance... Stability in Bangladesh is important for the entire region, including India's Northeast. Fingers crossed for a smooth transition.
S
Sarah B
Interesting to see the tech angle with the 'Postal Vote BD' app. Digital solutions for voting can increase participation, but security and transparency are absolute musts. The article mentions a gap between ballots sent and received; that needs scrutiny.
V
Vikram M
First time for overseas voters! This is historic. A stable and democratic Bangladesh is good for trade and cultural ties. Many Indian businesses operate there. Hoping for a government that continues positive bilateral relations.
K
Karthik V
The report says it's hard to predict the outcome. After the 2024 uprising and Hasina's ouster, the people clearly wanted change. Let's hope this election truly reflects the will of the people and isn't just a formality.

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