Bangladesh’s Election Commission (EC) announced that 249,338 expatriates have registered through the ‘Postal Vote BD’ app to cast ballots in the upcoming 13th national parliamentary election. Of these, 228,147 are men and 21,191 are women. The EC will send ballot papers by mail to the registered expatriates’ addresses, marking the first time the country is using an IT-supported postal voting system.

The registration process began on November 19 and will continue until December 23. Eligible groups include expatriates, individuals in legal custody, and election officials on duty. Registration is open in more than 30 countries, including South Korea, Japan, Saudi Arabia, the United States, and Australia. According to EC data updated on December 8, the initiative aims to ensure broader participation among overseas Bangladeshis.

The EC is targeting five million expatriate voters as part of its broader effort to expand electoral inclusion. The 13th national election is expected to be held in the first half of February 2025, with postal voting seen as a key test of digital election management.