Taiyeb guarantees postal ballot secrecy in polls
TIMES Report, Dhaka
Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb, special assistant to the chief adviser for the Ministry of Post, Telecommunications and Information Technology, assured that confidentiality in postal ballots will be preserved in the upcoming national elections.
He made this statement during a press conference held on Wednesday at the Bangladesh Postal Directorate in Agargaon, Dhaka, in celebration of World Post Day.
In his address, Taiyeb highlighted that Bangladesh Post Office is one of the country’s oldest institutions, deeply integrated with the public. Currently, nearly 40,000 officers and staff across 9,848 post offices are delivering services to citizens nationwide.
These post offices now offer a range of 20 services, including letters, parcels, savings, money orders, life insurance, and electronic money transfers (EMTS), while also playing a key role in e-commerce and digital financial services.
“Bangladesh Post Office is no longer just a medium for message exchange; it has become a modern and reliable service provider in the digital age,” said Taiyeb.
He added that essential services such as land records, passports, smart national identity cards, and driving licenses are now being delivered directly to citizens’ doorsteps through the postal system.
In response to a question about ensuring the confidentiality of postal ballots for expatriates, Taiyeb described it as a historic step to strengthen the country’s democracy.
He explained that expatriates’ voting will be conducted through three envelopes, ensuring the safety and confidentiality of their ballots.
Taiyeb also outlined the future goals for Bangladesh Post Office, including the expansion of e-commerce services and the strengthening of delivery systems.
He emphasised the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and automation to enhance service quality and the introduction of a Central Logistics Tracking Platform (CLTP) to advance the digital transformation of the domestic and international logistics sectors.
He further mentioned that the government is taking steps to digitize citizens’ addresses through a joint public-private partnership, along with implementing a pilot project to protect personal data through geo-fencing.
CLTP will also address e-commerce fraud. This project is expected to be launched next month, with the aim of improving the speed and quality of postal services, along with fostering greater digital financial inclusion.
Taiyeb concluded his remarks by urging the public to visit their nearest post offices and participate in the ongoing development journey of Bangladesh Post Office.
The press conference was attended by Abdun Naser Khan, secretary of the Ministry of Post and Telecommunications; Shish Haider Chowdhury, secretary of the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology; SM Shahabuddin, Director General of the Directorate of Posts, and other officials from the ministry and department.
