Staff Correspondent:

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin on Tuesday said the voting system for expatriates will be finalised soon, based on recommendations from technical experts, to ensure their voting rights.

The Election Commission (EC), the constitutional body responsible for conducting elections, organised a daylong workshop titled “Determining the Voting Method for Expatriate Bangladeshis” at the Electoral Training Institute (ETI) in Agargaon, Dhaka.

At least 80 participants, including election experts and officials, attended the workshop.

According to EC officials, the workshop aimed to gather opinions from experts representing Dhaka University, BUET, MIST, and various government, non-government, and development partner organisations. Among the proposed methods, priority was given to proxy voting over postal and online voting.

CEC Nasir Uddin inaugurated the workshop, which was attended by all four election commissioners and EC Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed.

“We are giving priority to ensuring the voting rights of expatriate Bangladeshis,” the CEC said while addressing the event.

“I hope today’s workshop with experts will help determine a specific method. We will take initiatives based on the method you suggest. After that, a proper framework will be developed, and the voting system will be introduced in selected countries through piloting.

“We have to make our decisions considering the social and political realities, the educational background of voters, and the circumstances of expatriates. Whether it’s from one workshop or more, please suggest where and how a pilot programme can be implemented. Whatever method we choose for expatriate voting, we must start with piloting on a limited scale before moving to a broader implementation.”