The Election Commission requests support from OIC nations to enable expatriate voting.

Election Commission Seeks OIC Support for Expatriate Voting in Upcoming National Elections

The Election Commission (EC) has sought assistance from OIC member countries to facilitate voting for expatriate Bangladeshis in the upcoming national elections.

Key Highlights of the Meeting:

• Election Commissioner Brigadier General (Retd) Abul Fazal Md Sanaullah emphasized the need for cooperation from OIC nations regarding voting rights for Bangladeshis residing abroad.
• The meeting, held at Nirbachan Bhaban, Dhaka, was attended by envoys from 10 OIC member countries.
• Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin, three other election commissioners, and the EC secretary were also present.

Discussions and Proposals:

• The EC briefed diplomats on current electoral activities, democratic progress, and upcoming election preparations.
• Diplomats shared their experiences with overseas voting, with some ambassadors expressing willingness to assist and send observers for the election.
• The EC presented its preparation, action plans, and potential areas of collaboration with OIC nations.

Expatriate Voting Mechanisms Under Consideration:

• Three potential systems were discussed:
  1. Postal Voting – Currently deemed ineffective.
  2. Online Voting – Discussed with foreign diplomats, but past experiences in countries like Egypt and Pakistan have been mixed.
  3. Proxy Voting – Successfully implemented in France, Belgium, the Netherlands, and India (for military personnel). The EC sees this as the most viable option for large-scale expatriate voting.

Statements from Foreign Representatives:

• Egyptian Ambassador shared that their country faced challenges in implementing online voting.
• Pakistani Representative mentioned that their online voting trials were promising but not yet ready for full implementation.
• Malaysian High Commissioner Mohd Shuhada Othman reaffirmed Malaysia’s support for Bangladesh’s electoral reforms and willingness to share experiences regarding overseas workers’ voting participation.

The meeting was attended by representatives from Algeria, Brunei Darussalam, Egypt, Indonesia, Kuwait, Malaysia, Morocco, Pakistan, and the UAE, reflecting a collective engagement towards ensuring expatriate voting in Bangladesh's electoral process.