The Election Commission (EC) of Bangladesh is set to expand its voter registration campaign to eight additional countries, including the United States, France, and Turkey, to provide National Identity Cards (NIDs) to expatriate Bangladeshis, officials said.
The campaign, already active in nine countries, will begin in Japan on July 15, followed by the US, France, Maldives, Turkey, Jordan, South Africa, Oman, and Egypt, according to ASM Humayun Kabir, Director General of the EC’s NID wing.
“We’re coordinating with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and hope to launch registration in these countries soon,” Kabir said.
14.4 million expatriates across 40 countries
The EC, in collaboration with the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare, BAIRA, and other agencies, has identified about 14.46 million Bangladeshis living in 40 countries. The largest expatriate population is in Saudi Arabia (over 4 million), while New Zealand has the fewest, with around 2,500.
Currently, the EC is conducting voter registration through embassies in 16 locations across nine countries, including UAE, Saudi Arabia, UK, Italy, Kuwait, Qatar, Malaysia, Australia, and Canada. Over 47,000 applications have been submitted so far, with more than 20,000 Bangladeshis already enrolled as voters.
Ensuring expatriate voting rights
The voter registration push is part of the interim government’s pledge to ensure voting rights for overseas Bangladeshis. Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin said the EC is committed to initiating the process, even if on a limited scale.
“We are preparing to pilot various voting methods — online, postal, or proxy — and then scale up gradually,” the CEC said.
A technical team of experts from BUET, Dhaka University, and MIST has been formed to evaluate possible methods. Their recommendations are currently under review, along with feedback from political parties and stakeholders.
Documents Required for Expatriates
To register as a voter abroad, applicants must submit online form-2A, valid Bangladeshi passport, digital birth certificate, and passport-size photograph.
Additional documents, where applicable, include proof of dual citizenship, NID of parents or spouse, utility bills, educational certificates, or tenancy documents. If documents are unavailable abroad, they can be submitted by relatives to the local upazila office in Bangladesh.
The EC first initiated NID and expatriate voter registration in 2019, starting with the UAE, followed by the UK and Malaysia in early 2020. The process was halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but resumed in 2022.
The EC now aims to build on that foundation, ensuring more expatriate Bangladeshis are registered in time for future elections.
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