Dhaka, Dec 23 (V7N) — The Bangladesh Election Commission (EC) has begun sending postal ballots to registered overseas voters for the 13th National Parliamentary Election and the upcoming national referendum. As of now, postal ballots have been dispatched to 71,953 voters, with voting scheduled for February 12, 2026.

On Monday, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) A.M.M. Nasir Uddin, along with four election commissioners, the EC secretary, the Secretary of Posts and Telecommunications, and the Director General of the Post Office, inspected the Mail Processing Center in Tejgaon. The CEC expressed satisfaction with the entire postal ballot packaging process, highlighting that this system ensures voter confidentiality and security. He emphasized that this initiative, being implemented for the first time for overseas voters, could serve as a model for future elections.

Salim Ahmad Khan, team leader of the EC’s Out-of-Country Voting System and Implementation (OCV-SDI) project, confirmed that postal ballots have already been sent to voters in countries including Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Malaysia, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Postal ballots will be gradually delivered to all registered overseas voters.

S.M. Harunur Rashid, Additional Director General of the Post Office, explained that once the registered voter data is received, ballots are printed daily in quantities of 40,000–50,000, both day and night. A dedicated team at the processing center ensures that the ballots are securely packaged, including seat-specific return envelopes, before being dispatched abroad.

B.M. Moshiur Rahman, Deputy Secretary of the Posts and Telecommunications Department, stated that ballot papers are printed at the Army Printing Press and packaged at the Mail Processing Center according to the prescribed procedures before being sent in stages via airports to the overseas addresses of registered voters.

Voter registration for overseas citizens began on November 19, 2025, and will continue until December 25, 2025. Additionally, postal ballot registration remains open for government employees within the country, election officials, and individuals under legal custody through the BD App.

The Election Commission confirmed that the postal ballot process has been designed to maintain security, confidentiality, and efficiency, ensuring overseas voters can participate effectively in Bangladesh’s democratic process.

END/RKB/SMA/