Despite the complexities of implementing postal voting, Bangladesh has decided to take it on as a challenge for the upcoming national election, according to Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin.
He made the remark during a dialogue with representatives of registered political parties at the Election Commission headquarters in Agargaon, Dhaka, on Sunday, ahead of the 13th National Parliamentary Elections scheduled to take in the first half of February.
Six political parties – Gonoforum, Gono Front, Islamic Front Bangladesh, Islami Oikya Jote, Bangladesh Supreme Party (BSP) and Bangladesh Jatiya Party, joined the discussion.
CEC Nasir Uddin said, “This year we have introduced several new initiatives, including arrangements for expatriate voting. It is an extremely complex issue, which is why no one attempted it before.”
Noting that many countries have struggled to ensure effective postal voting for expatriates, he said, “After extensive trials, we are preparing to introduce this system in Bangladesh for the first time. This makes the upcoming election particularly significant.”
He added that the Election Commission has also undertaken major tasks such as updating the voter list and providing specialised training to 77,000 field staff involved in election activities.
Nasir Uddin said, “On election day, nearly 1 million people will be on duty. Members of law enforcement agencies and presiding officers often cannot cast their own votes. This year, we have made arrangements so they can vote while on duty. Government employees posted at different institutions will also be able to vote. And provisions have been made for eligible voters in prisons as well.”
Regarding the EC’s dialogue with various political parties, Nasir Uddin said, “One major advantage is that the Election Reform Commission has already taken several initiatives on our behalf. They have held more than 80 dialogues with different stakeholders, including representatives of political parties. Alongside this, the NCC also held multiple meetings to build consensus. As a result, much of our groundwork is already in place.”
He added that, moving forward, cooperation from political leaders would be essential to ensure an orderly and credible election environment.
“The Election Commission alone cannot complete this task,” the CEC noted. “Political and national leaders hold direct influence over voters. Their cooperation is crucial. We also need guidance on how best to encourage voter participation and ensure their safety at polling centres.”
He urged all parties to strictly follow the election code of conduct.
