"Long overlooked in Bangladesh's electoral system, millions of expatriates including migrant workers who underpin the nation's economy will be able to vote in national elections for the first time, as the country's Election Commission moves to finally ensure their participation in the democratic process. The Election Commission estimates that about 15 million Bangladeshi expatriates, including migrant workers, live in the Gulf, Europe, the Americas and Southeast Asia accounting for more than 10 percent of the country's total electorate."
"To facilitate their participation, the Election Commission will launch postal ballots, supported by an app called Postal Vote BD. This is one of several moves to reform key state institutions, including the electoral, judicial, and legislative systems, by Bangladesh's interim government, which was formed after former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Awami League party were toppled in a mass uprising in 2024."
Expatriate Bangladeshis had voting rights but lacked a system to participate in elections. The Election Commission estimates about 15 million expatriates live abroad, more than 10% of the electorate. The Election Commission will introduce postal ballots and an app called Postal Vote BD to enable overseas voting. These measures are part of interim government reforms of key institutions after the 2024 uprising that toppled the prior administration. Parliamentary elections are scheduled for February 2026, but overseas voting implementation faces major logistical, international, and transparency challenges that could affect overall election credibility.
Read at www.aljazeera.com
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