EC gets approval to register expatriate voters in 5 more countries

The Election Commission (EC) on Wednesday has received approval to begin voter registration and National Identity Card (NID) distribution for Bangladeshi expatriates in five additional countries, including France, Bahrain, Singapore, and Spain.

With this latest clearance from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the EC is now authorized to operate its expatriate voter registration program in a total of 19 countries, including previously approved nations such as Saudi Arabia.

Officials said the Ministry issued a formal letter on Wednesday, confirming the government's consent for the EC to initiate the program in the newly approved countries.

"We’ve received permission for four more countries, bringing the total to 19," said ASM Humayun Kabir, Director General of the NID Wing. “This will allow us to enroll more expatriate Bangladeshis as voters and provide them with NID services abroad.”

In a significant development, the EC also plans to launch the registration initiative in the United States next month. The program will commence in major cities including Washington D.C., New York, Miami, and Los Angeles.

To implement the program, four technical teams will travel to Bangladeshi missions in these U.S. cities to train embassy officials. In addition, two administrative teams will be deployed to oversee and coordinate the operations.

This expansion is part of the EC’s broader effort to ensure that Bangladeshi citizens living abroad are brought into the electoral process and are issued national identification cards, enhancing their civic engagement and access to essential services.