The Election Commission (EC) of Bangladesh has decided not to use postal ballots in the upcoming local government elections, according to reliable EC sources. This means expatriate voters, election officials on duty, and those outside their constituencies will be unable to cast their votes. EC Commissioner Abdul Rahmanel Machud confirmed that the commission has no plan to send postal ballots either abroad or within the country, though individuals may apply to returning officers to vote by post on their own initiative.

Officials noted that although postal voting is legally permitted, it had long been limited to military and law enforcement personnel. The system was expanded during the recent thirteenth parliamentary election under the interim government led by Dr. Yunus, when over 1.5 million voters registered to vote by post at a cost of about 100 crore taka. However, administrative complexity and high costs led the EC to reconsider the method.

Election experts warned that excluding postal ballots could reduce participation among expatriates, who contribute significantly to the national economy through remittances, and may discourage them from future engagement.