CEC vows to ensure expatriate voting rights in upcoming election

GghChief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin has announced that the Election Commission (EC) is working to ensure the voting rights of expatriate Bangladeshis in the upcoming national election, even if on a limited scale.

He emphasized that while preparations are well underway, the cooperation of political parties and other stakeholders is crucial to achieving this goal.

He made the comments at 9:45am on Tuesday while inaugurating a seminar titled "On development of voting for diaspora Bangladeshis" at the Election Commission Auditorium.

The event saw participation from representatives of various political parties, including the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami, senior journalists, election commissioners, and other prominent figures.

During his speech, the CEC said that decisions regarding expatriate voting must take into account the socio-economic realities of different countries.

“We want to inform the nation about the steps we have taken so far to ensure voting rights for expatriates. Credibility is essential. To encourage collective feedback, we invited everyone together rather than organizing separate sessions,” he explained.

Highlighting the challenges, Nasir Uddin noted that many countries, including India, have yet to introduce a voting system for their citizens abroad.

“We want to begin according to our capacity. Our experts are currently studying the voting procedures for expatriates in various countries. We hope to reach our goal,” he added.