Expat voters can register for postal ballot in Thakurgaon-1 by Sept 20

Expatriate voters of the Thakurgaon-1 constituency will be able to cast their ballots by post in the upcoming by-election, with their consent for postal voting to be collected through the Postal Vote BD app from September 12 to 20.

The Election Commission announced the initiative in a notice issued by its Public Relations Branch on Sunday.

According to the notice, expatriate voters who registered through the Postal Vote BD app during the 13th parliamentary election will receive notifications via email, WhatsApp and the app.

After receiving the notification, eligible voters must confirm their consent to cast their votes by post through the app. The consent window will remain open until September 20.

Once consent is received within the stipulated period, the Election Commission will send ballot papers to the voters at their current overseas addresses.

The commission said the initiative is part of its arrangements to facilitate voting by expatriate voters in the Thakurgaon-1 by-election.

The Thakurgaon-1 seat fell vacant after Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, who was elected MP from the constituency in the 13th parliamentary election, was elected the country’s 23rd president on August 20. He took the presidential oath on August 21, resulting in the seat becoming vacant in accordance with the Constitution.