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Published : 17 Sep 2025, 08:04 PM
Bangladeshis whose national identity cards (NIDs) are suspended will not be able to register to vote from abroad, according to Election Commission (EC) Secretary Akhtar Ahmed.
“Those whose NIDs are locked cannot vote,” he told reporters on Wednesday, without taking any names.
Asked further, he clarified: “The main issue is registration. If the NID is locked, they cannot register. Without registration, how will they vote from abroad?”
On Feb 16, the EC’s National Identity Wing (NIDW) suspended the NID cards of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina and 10 members of her family.
The list includes her son Sajeeb Ahmed Wazed Joy, daughter Saima Wazed Putul, sister Sheikh Rehana, nieces Tulip Rizwana Siddiq and Azmina Siddique, nephew Radwan Mujib Siddiq, former security advisor Tarique Ahmed Siddique, his wife Shaheen Siddique and their daughter Bushra Siddique.
EC officials said once an NID is suspended, it can no longer be used.
For the first time, the Election Commission led by AMM Nasir Uddin has introduced IT-supported postal ballots for expatriate voting.
A registration app, “Postal Ballot BD”, is also being launched.
After registration, ballot papers with election symbols will be sent in special envelopes to expatriates, who must return them to the returning officer of their constituency.
The provision for postal ballots is being added to the Representation of the People Order. Once passed in parliament, the EC will run a publicity campaign in October-November.
According to the EC’s roadmap, ballot papers will be dispatched after the election schedule is announced and symbols allocated, and must reach returning officers a week before polling.
Expatriates will thus be able to vote by postal ballot for the first time in February’s election.
