Postal voting registration opens for Thakurgaon-1 by-election

The Election Commission has opened registration for postal voting in the Thakurgaon-1 by-election, with eligible voters able to register through the Postal Vote BD app from September 12 until Septermber 20.

The facility is available to Bangladeshi expatriates, government officials assigned to election duties and people in lawful custody. Registered voters will be able to cast their ballots by post.

Brig Gen Selim Ahmed Khan, project chief of the Election Commission’s Out of Country Voting System Development and Implementation Initiative, said expatriate voters wishing to participate in the October 29 by-election must complete registration through the app between September 12 and 20.

The commission plans to distribute around 5,500 postal ballots among eligible voters inside and outside the country.

According to the election schedule, the deadline for submitting nomination papers is September 27, with scrutiny set for Septembr 29. Appeals against scrutiny decisions can be filed from September 30 to October 4 and will be settled by the commission on Octobr 6. Candidates can withdraw their nominations until October 7, while electoral symbols will be allocated on October 8.

The Thakurgaon district election officer will serve as the returning officer. A total of 515,525 voters are expected to cast their ballots at 185 polling centres with 989 booths.

The election will be conducted by 3,152 officials, including 185 presiding officers, 989 assistant presiding officers and 1,978 polling officers.