Deadline for expatriate voters to send ballots Jan 25

The Election Commission (EC) has intensified efforts to ensure the voting rights of expatriate Bangladeshis for the upcoming Thirteenth National Parliament election. To ensure that ballots sent by overseas voters are included in the counting process on time, a special directive has been issued requiring postal ballots to be sent by Sunday, January 25.

On Wednesday, January 21, Ruhul Amin Malik, Director of the EC’s Public Relations Division, confirmed this information to Views Bangladesh. The EC emphasised that strict adherence to this deadline is necessary to maintain a transparent and participatory electoral process. The advance deadline has been set considering geographical distances and postal delivery times.

The notice issued on Wednesday highlighted the main points: ballots must be completed and submitted at the nearest post office by January 25. Ballots sent after the deadline may reach the relevant returning officer late, in which case they cannot legally be included in the counting.

Regarding preparation for smooth vote counting, the commission stated that this precaution ensures that the ballots of expatriate voters are counted without disruption. Each vote of an overseas voter is considered valuable, which is why the EC has set this timeline. Expatriates are urged to act promptly to ensure their ballots reach the returning officers as quickly as possible.