’Over 48,000 expatriates from nine countries apply for voter registration’
The Election Commission (EC) has reported that 48,080 Bangladeshi expatriates from nine countries have applied for voter registration and National Identity Cards (NIDs).
Among them, the bio metrics of 29,646 individuals have already been collected.
NID Wing Director General ASM Humayun Kabir shared this information with reporters at the EC headquarters in the capital this afternoon.
“We have recently received the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ approval to begin NID-related work in five new countries — United States, Oman, South Africa, Jordan, and the Maldives. Preliminary preparations in these five countries have already been completed.”
On July 9, the EC received approval from the foreign ministry to begin voter registration of Bangladeshi expatriates in five additional countries, including the US.
The EC aims to extend its voter registration efforts for expatriates to 40 countries.
Currently, registration is active in 16 centres across nine countries — UAE, Saudi Arabia, Italy, UK, Kuwait, Qatar, Malaysia, Australia, and Canada.
Japan will be added as the 10th country, with the process scheduled to begin within July.
Although operations were supposed to start in mid-July, a delay in obtaining public IP access due to local technical issues has pushed back the launch slightly.
Humayun Kabir said, “We had announced that the programme would begin on the 15th (today) in Japan, but due to a technical issue — specifically, the delay in getting approval for a public IP address — it’s taking a bit more time, even though all other preparations have been completed.”
Asked about the cost per voter expatriates’ registration, the NID DG replied, “I don’t know the exact number, as this is handled under a separate project. The NID Wing doesn’t cover these expenses.”
In response to whether the project falls under the NID Wing, he clarified, “No, it is under the jurisdiction of the Election Commission Secretariat.”
Asked when the updated voter list would be published, Humayun said, “It will likely be done very soon– possibly within this week or the next.”
In 2019, the commission led by KM Nurul Huda initiated the project to provide NIDs abroad.
Online registration for Bangladeshi expatriates was first launched in the UK on February 12, 2020.
