TDS Desk:

Over 4.85 lakh expatriate voters have registered to cast their votes through postal ballots from abroad for the upcoming 13th General Election and referendum.

According to information published on the Election Commission (EC) website, a total of 485,910 voters have registered on the ‘Postal Vote BD’ app as of 12:19pm on Thursday (18 December).

Election Commission (EC) officials said that the registration process for Bangladeshi expatriate voters to vote via postal ballot began on 19 November and will continue until 25 December.

The registration for government officials and employees engaged in election duties will also remain open until the same date. Additionally, the registration for voters in legal custody is scheduled to take place from 21 December to 24 December.

Currently, expatriate Bangladeshis from various countries, including South Korea, Japan, South Africa, China, Egypt, Libya, Mauritius, Hong Kong, USA, Australia, Brazil, Nigeria, Kenya, Ethiopia, Algeria, Morocco, Tanzania, Ghana, Somalia, Rwanda, Argentina, Peru, and Zimbabwe, are participating in this registration process.

According to the Election Commission (EC), once registration is complete, postal ballots will be sent to the respective voters’ addresses via mail. Voters will then cast their votes on the ballots and send them back to the concerned Returning Officer using the designated return envelope.

According to the schedule announced by the Election Commission, the deadline for submitting nomination papers is 29 December. The scrutiny of nomination papers will take place from 30 December to 4 January. Appeals against the decisions of the Returning Officers must be filed by 11 January, with disposal of these appeals scheduled between 12 January and 18 January.