BNP on Tuesday urged the Election Commission to extend the registration time for out-of-country voting (OCV) and include the eligible expatriates who do not have national identity (NID) cards but hold valid Bangladeshi passports in the voter lists ahead of the upcoming national election.
“Many expatriates do not have NID cards. For practical reasons, most of them were unable to obtain NIDs, and no initiative was taken (by our EC) in every country to issue new NID cards for them. So, we have proposed that Bangladeshi passports be accepted as identity documents for including expatriates in the voter lists,” said BNP Standing Committee member Nazrul Islam Khan.
He made the remarks while briefing reporters after leading a BNP delegation at a meeting with Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin at Nirbachan Bhaban in the city on Tuesday afternoon.
Nazrul Islam acknowledged some concerns regarding irregular and fake passports, noting that even non-citizens like Rohingyas had previously obtained Bangladeshi passports through corruption.
“Still, we told the EC that the passport photos can be sent to the authorities concerned for verification. If the verification is accurate, they should be registered as voters. The Election Commission said they will consider the matter seriously,” he added.
He said a large number of expatriate Bangladeshis are living in some countries like Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, where communication-related challenges make voter registration difficult. “That’s why we requested the extension of the registration period in these countries so the maximum number of expatriates can become voters,” he said.
The BNP leader said the EC informed them that its schedule already allows an additional window for those who miss the main registration deadlines, enabling them to register later.
Nazrul Islam said the EC sought BNP’s cooperation in ensuring a fair and neutral election.
“We assured them of our cooperation in holding a free and impartial election. We’re also taking initiatives within the party to encourage expatriates to register. Our acting chairman has instructed us to do so as the participation of expatriates is essential for establishing democracy in the country,” he added.
The BNP delegation also included senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, chairperson’s advisory council member Ismail Zabihullah, and EC former acting secretary Mohammad Zakaria.
