As of now, 825,083 voters have registered through the “Postal Vote BD” app to exercise their voting rights in the 13th National Parliamentary Election and the referendum. Of these, 263,623 registered from Bangladesh, while the remaining voters are from other countries. Additionally, 30,782 registrations are awaiting approval. According to the Election Commission (EC), among the registered voters, there are 748,937 male voters and 76,684 females.
These figures were obtained from the EC website as of 9.30 PM on Satarday, December 27. The registration process began on November 19 and will continue until December 31.
Along with expatriate Bangladeshis from various countries, government employees on election duty and those staying outside their own constituencies are also registering through the “Postal Vote BD” app.
Since December 9, the EC has started sending ballot papers to the registered expatriates at their respective addresses, as stated on the EC website.
A group of about 250 Bangladeshis residing at the Hyundai Camp in Henakiya, Al-Qasim region of Madinah, told the Bangladesh Post that they were aware of the upcoming parliamentary elections scheduled for February 12. However, they have no clear idea about how to cast their vote.
The residents of the camp stated that most of the Bangladeshi families use the ‘IMO’ app to communicate. To access the internet, they have collectively set up multiple Wi-Fi connections.
They further mentioned that Hyundai Camp is about 90 kilometers from Madinah city. Being located in a desert area, communication facilities are very weak, and there are limitations in receiving information through any means other than mobile phones. This has created uncertainty regarding the receipt of ballot papers. They claimed that if the Bangladesh Embassy in Saudi Arabia had conducted an effective campaign from the beginning, more expatriates could have registered. moreover, due to insufficient knowledge and guidance about the “Postal Vote BD” app, many are still unable to register.
Asadul Islam, residing in Tabuk, said that a lack of proper campaigning failed to generate interest, and hence, he could not register despite his willingness.
Sohel Mahdud Joy, a Bangladeshi expatriate living in Vilnius, Lithuania, mentioned that frequent updates of the Postal Vote BD app create difficulties for many. Moreover, receiving OTPs on the phone during registration has been challenging. Even after multiple attempts over a day or two, some people manage to register, but it disrupts their daily work or working hours. However, he confirmed that the postal ballot had been sent to his address on December 26 as reflected in the app.
He also noted that no guidance or campaigning has reached Bangladeshis in Lithuania from the Election Commission or the Bangladesh Embassy in Poland.
For the first time, the Election Commission has initiated a technology-based postal ballot system. Through this system, expatriates, voters under legal protection, and those on election duty will also be able to vote. Registration through the designated app is mandatory for this purpose.
Currently, expatriates from countries including South Korea, Japan, the United States, Saudi Arabia, Australia, China, South Africa, Brazil, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania, Ghana, Argentina, Peru, and Taiwan are covered under this registration system.
