EC plans to include Bangladesh expats on voter list

Chief election commissioner KM Nurul Huda has said the Bangladesh Election Commission (EC) has planned to introduce a voter registration system for Bangladeshis living abroad, reports UNB.

The CEC said the commission will set up offices in Singapore, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Malaysia, the UK, the USA, Italy, Australia and Canada, the hub of Bangladeshi expatriates.

He said this while making a power-point presentation at the opening session of a two-day international conference on 'Making Our Elections Inclusive and Accessible' on Thursday.

The EC of India organized the conference marking National Voters' Day celebrations.

Over 10 million Bangladeshis live in 157 countries and many of these expatriates have failed to enrol in the voter list and do not have NIDs, said the CEC.

He said technical and non-technical teams of experts will visit the countries to conduct a feasibility study.

Top election commission officials from Nepal, the Maldives, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Bhutan, Kazakstan and Russia are also participating in the event.

Representatives from several international organisations are also taking part.

Chief election commissioner of India Sunil Arora delivered the keynote address at the opening session.

In his first foreign visit after presiding over the holding of Bangladesh's 11th parliamentary election on 30 December, CEC Huda said the polls have been inclusive with all registered political parties taking part in it.

The elections were free, fair and peaceful with 25,000 local (from 81 organisations) and 160 international observers freely watching the voting, according to Bangladesh high commission in New Delhi.

Nurul said the election commission has focused on young voters encouraging their enrolment through SMS, TVC, radio, posters and leaflets.

Voters' awareness programme has also been included in the primary and secondary level curricula.