Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin said on Tuesday that the Election Commission (EC) is working to ensure the voting rights of expatriate Bangladeshis in the next parliamentary election, even if it is on a limited scale, reports BSS.
“Preparations are underway to make this initiative a reality. We want to ensure the voting rights of the expatriates, even if it is on a small scale. Many countries have managed to implement it, while others, including neighboring India, have struggled. We don’t want to delay,” he said.
The CEC was addressing a seminar titled “On development of voting for diaspora Bangladeshis” at the Election Commission Auditorium this morning, organized by EC to explore mechanisms for allowing Bangladeshi citizens living abroad to vote in the upcoming 13th parliamentary election.
The seminar saw participation from various political parties, including BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami, and the National Citizen Party (NCP), as well as senior journalists, university professors, and civil society representatives.
Nasir Uddin stressed that the Election Commission cannot succeed without political consensus and urged all stakeholders, especially political parties, to support the effort.
“We want to begin the journey… But if political leaders do not support us, all our efforts will go in vain,” he said, calling upon all political parties to submit their official opinions on the proposed voting methods by May 15.
In his speech, the CEC said decisions regarding expatriate voting must take into account of the socio-economic realities of different countries.
“We want to inform the nation about the steps we have taken so far to ensure voting rights for expatriates. Credibility is essential. To encourage collective feedback, we invited everyone together rather than organizing separate sessions,” he said.
The commission is currently considering a hybrid approach, combining postal, online and proxy voting, for potential implementation on a limited scale in the next general election.
“These options are being evaluated based on their practicality, cost-efficiency, and ability to maintain public trust,” he said, adding, “We want to begin the process according to our capacity. Our experts are currently studying the voting procedures for expatriates in various countries. We hope to reach our goal.”
Election Commission Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed said, “The inability of expatriates to vote affects voter turnout. We are committed to holding free, fair, and festive elections. Including our expatriates in that democratic celebration is crucial.”
Election Commissioner Brigadier General (Retd) Abul Fazl Md Sanaullah reiterated the importance of political feedback in determining the most suitable voting method for overseas voters.
BNP leaders Nazrul Islam Khan, Ismail Jabiullah and Syed Emran Saleh Prince, Jamaat leaders Jasim Uddin and Matiur Rahman Akand and NCP's Khaled Saifullah were among the participants.
Bd-Pratidin English/ AM
