The Election Commission (EC) has confirmed that preparations for overseas voting in the upcoming national election are progressing smoothly, with around 70 percent of essential election materials already procured. The commission has also announced the development of a dedicated mobile application, “Postal Vote BD,” to facilitate postal voting for registered Bangladeshi citizens living abroad.

Speaking at a briefing at the EC headquarters in Agargaon on Thursday, Secretary Akhtar Ahmed assured that there is no doubt about the upcoming election, emphasizing that all necessary arrangements are on track. He stated that the main procurement of election-related equipment—including marking seals, gaskets, locks for transparent ballot boxes, and hessian bags—will be completed within September. Some of the items have already been received, ensuring that the logistical process is well underway.

The newly developed app, Postal Vote BD, will enable registered overseas voters to participate in the election via postal ballots. In addition, domestic election officials, government officers, and individuals under legal custody will also be eligible to cast their votes through the same platform. According to the EC secretary, only registered voters will be allowed to vote through the postal ballot system. Overseas Bangladeshis who have not registered cannot return to Bangladesh to vote physically.

The EC clarified that once the registration process is completed, postal ballots will be sent to overseas voters in accordance with a prescribed schedule. Voters will then mark their choices on the ballot papers and return them to Bangladesh via designated channels. The ballots will include only candidate symbols, without names, along with blank spaces for marking. Each voter will receive a large envelope containing three separate envelopes: one for the ballot paper, one for returning the ballot after voting, and one containing detailed instructions for completing and returning the vote.

The commission is yet to announce the official start date for overseas postal voting, noting that it will align with the overall election schedule. In the meantime, all technical and logistical arrangements are being finalized to ensure a smooth process.

In related developments, the EC will meet with a European Union pre-election observer team on September 22. The team, consisting of three international and four local observers, will assess the pre-election environment and meet with various stakeholders to monitor electoral preparations.

Secretary Akhtar Ahmed also highlighted that the EC Secretariat has received approval from the Advisory Council for amendments to election-related laws. These amendments include adjustments to the structure of election services and bringing National ID (NID) management under the commission’s authority. The advisory office will provide a detailed briefing on these changes.

Additionally, plans regarding new party registrations, observer organization accreditation, and stakeholder dialogues will be finalized in upcoming commission meetings. So far, 22 political parties seeking registration have undergone field inspections, while more than 300 observer organizations have applied for accreditation. A dialogue with election stakeholders is expected to take place by the end of September.

Boundary delimitation for all 300 parliamentary seats has been completed. However, some decisions have been challenged in court, resulting in protests in Bagerhat and Faridpur and at least 18 pending writ petitions. The EC secretary emphasized that these matters are currently under judicial review and refrained from further comments, noting that while the law limits challenges to EC decisions, the right to approach the court remains available to all concerned parties.

With the bulk of election materials already procured, the postal voting app nearing launch, and security, logistics, and stakeholder arrangements in place, the Election Commission appears poised to conduct a well-organized election, including overseas participation, under careful monitoring and preparation.