19,000 Expatriates in 7 Countries to Be Added to Voter List

Bangladesh

19,000 Expatriates in 7 Countries to Be Added to Voter List

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The Election Commission (EC) is making strenuous efforts to include expatriate Bangladeshis in the voter list ahead of the upcoming 13th National Parliament elections. To this end, more than 19,000 expatriates in seven countries have already been approved as voters. The total applications received through the Bangladesh embassies in these countries were 45,184. Out of these, 28,926 completed the registration with fingerprints and 3,563 applications were rejected. Currently, another 21,889 applications are under investigation.

EC's NID Division Director General ASM Humayun Kabir confirmed the matter on May 19. He said that this number will increase further as the expatriate voter activities are ongoing.

Number of applications and approvals received by country:

* **United Arab Emirates**: 19,197 applications, 10,627 approvals

* **United Kingdom**: 8,529 applications, 3,099 approvals

* **Italy**: 6,372 applications, 1,844 approvals

* **Saudi Arabia**: 3,554 applications, 1,074 approvals

* **Kuwait**: 3,872 applications, 1,038 approvals

* **Qatar**: 2,832 applications, 944 approvals

* **Malaysia**: 948 applications, 260 approvals

Recently, this program has also been launched in Australia and Canada, but the applications there have not yet been consolidated.

**Information required for expatriates to become voters:**

1. Completed online application form (Form-2(a))

2. Unexpired Bangladeshi passport

3. Online birth registration

4. Passport size color photo

**Additional documents where applicable:**

* “Special Information Form” for special areas

* Education Certificate

* Parent’s NID/Death Certificate

* Driving License/TIN

* Dual Citizenship Certificate

* Marriage Certificate and NID of spouse

* Citizenship Certificate (of local authority)

* Rent related documents and landlord’s no objection letter (in case of tenant)

Information that cannot be submitted can be submitted to the concerned Upazila Office through a relative in the expatriate’s country.

Currently, voter registration is ongoing in 9 countries, and there are plans to launch this program in 10-12 more countries by December. This initiative was started in 2019 on the instructions of the Prime Minister’s Office and is currently being implemented anew by the current Election Commission after the Corona situation.