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How Bangladesh will conduct postal voting for first time in February 12 election| Explained
Bangladesh Elections 2026: The postal voting system will operate through a dedicated digital platform known as the Postal Vote BD App.
For the first time since gaining independence, Bangladesh will permit postal voting in the national election on February 12. The Election Commission (EC) of Bangladesh has begun coordinating with international postal services to ensure voters can send their ballots on time, which will be counted once in-person voting concludes.
The Commission announced the move last month as part of efforts to expand voter participation.
Digital platform to manage postal voting
The postal voting system will operate through a dedicated digital platform known as the Postal Vote BD App. The app has been developed to simplify voter registration and verification.
Voters are required to download the app, create a personal profile, and submit verification details such as passport information and a facial photograph. Once their application is approved, ballot papers are issued to registered voters.
Voters must then send their completed ballots through local postal services to their respective constituencies in Bangladesh.
How postal ballots will be counted
- Under the system, ballot papers are first mailed to approved voters.
- After marking their choice, voters must return the ballot before the deadline.
- Election officials will verify each ballot to confirm its authenticity. Verified ballots will remain sealed until counting begins.
- Votes will then be counted either manually or using electronic systems.
Registration window and timeline
To allow sufficient time for ballot delivery and return, the EC opened registration for postal voting on November 26, 2025. The registration process closed at 11.29 pm on January 5.
The timeline was designed to ensure that ballots from overseas voters are not delayed.
How voting worked earlier
Before the introduction of postal voting, Bangladeshi citizens voted mainly in person at designated polling stations using paper ballots. This system has been in place since the country gained independence.
Although electronic voting machines were tested on a limited scale in some constituencies, paper ballots remained the primary method. As a result, overseas Bangladeshis had very limited opportunities to take part in national elections.
More than 1.2 million Bangladeshis have registered for postal voting, including voters based within the country and those living overseas. Fewer than 11,000 applications remain under review.
Nearly half of the registered voters are residents of Bangladesh, while the rest are expatriates. Saudi Arabia recorded the highest number of registrations, with around 2.6 lakh voters. The United States followed with about 29,000 registrations, while the United Kingdom recorded around 28,000.
Other countries with notable participation include Qatar, Malaysia, Oman, the UAE and Kuwait. Very low numbers were reported from Colombia, Cameroon, India (297 voters) and Pakistan (29), according to EC data.
