Postal voting for the upcoming parliamentary election is set to begin on Thursday, as the Election Commission (EC) sought to reassure political parties that the system is secure and free from the risk of fraud.
The assurances came during a technical briefing held on Tuesday for representatives of all registered political parties, amid growing debate and criticism surrounding the postal ballot process.
EC said there was no scope for manipulation, insisting that one person would not be able to cast another’s vote. It also warned that if the secrecy of a ballot is breached, the voter’s National Identity Card (NID) would be blocked.
However, several parties voiced concerns over viral videos circulating on social media, the placement of party symbols on ballot papers, and delays in receiving constituency-wise lists of overseas voters.
BNP chairperson’s adviser and former senior secretary Ismail Zabiullah said the postal ballot system had become “questionable”.
“After seeing what went viral from Oman and Bahrain, we are genuinely worried,” he said.
He also pointed out what he described as a loophole in the process.
“If someone takes away my ballot but cannot vote because they don’t have the QR code or I’m not present, my vote is still wasted. That vote could have gone to my party. Someone could take it simply to waste it,” Zabiullah said.
Raising another objection, he alleged that party symbols had been arranged unfairly on ballot papers.
“Three parties’ symbols are placed at the top, while BNP’s symbol is in the middle. We believe this was done intentionally,” he said, adding that even alphabetical order had not been followed.
Faruk Hasan, spokesperson of Gono Odhikar Parishad and a candidate from Thakurgaon-2, echoed similar concerns over symbol placement.
Representatives of several parties also expressed frustration that they had not yet received seat-wise lists of overseas voters.
Responding to the criticism, EC Additional Secretary KM Ali Nawaz said the system was secure.
“One person cannot vote on behalf of another. There is no scope for fraud. No one is given a ballot without an NID,” he said, adding that the commission had no intention of arranging symbols in a biased way.
Bangladesh’s diplomatic missions abroad also highlighted logistical challenges in implementing postal voting.
Embassy in Saudi Arabia said it was campaigning to ensure that one person does not open another’s ballot envelope. Officials said many expatriates could not collect ballots individually due to work commitments, making it difficult to prevent proxy collection.
Mission in Singapore reported that out of 17,759 registered voters, about 16,000 ballots had already been successfully delivered. Around 1,645 remained undelivered due to address issues and inactive phone numbers.
Embassy in Oman said voters were being issued ballots only after verifying both voter ID cards and residence permits, making the process more transparent but also more demanding.
Mission in the UAE said 38,574 voters had registered, with only one ballot remaining undelivered. It added that 661 voters had already sent their ballots back ahead of the official date.
In his closing remarks, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin described the initiative as a bold step not just for Bangladesh, but potentially for the world.
“We knew from the beginning that this would be a challenging and unfamiliar area,” he said. “But our oath and commitment were that we would implement it.”
He acknowledged that confusion and errors were inevitable in a new system but said these would be resolved as accurate information became available.
The CEC also voiced concerns about artificial intelligence, calling it a potential future challenge for electoral processes.
He said expatriate voter enrolment had been completed in 122 countries, despite differing laws, cultures and postal systems.
“This will one day be an example for the world,” said the CEC.
He also said arrangements had been made for prisoners and voters living outside their constituencies to cast their votes—steps he described as unprecedented.
EC warns four parties over early campaigning
EC has issued warning letters to four political parties—Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, National Citizen Party (NCP), Islami Andolan Bangladesh and Bangladesh Khilafat Majlis—over allegations of early campaigning.
In letters sent to party chiefs on Tuesday, EC said complaints had been lodged that these parties continued electioneering before January 21, despite a ban on campaigning prior to that date.
The commission said this violated Rule 18 of the Political Parties and Candidates’ Code of Conduct 2025, and instructed the parties to refrain from further violations.
Security ordered for Jamaat ameer and six other leaders
The commission has also instructed the authorities to provide security to seven senior Jamaat leaders, including party Ameer Dr Shafiqur Rahman.
EC Deputy Secretary Mohammad Monir Hossain said a letter had already been sent to the senior secretary of the Home Ministry.
The leaders who sought security include Nayeb-e-Ameer Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher, ATM Azharul Islam, Secretary General Mia Golam Parwar, Nayeb-e-Ameer Mujibur Rahman, Assistant Secretary General Hamidur Rahman Azad and Maulana Rafiqul Islam Khan.
