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Nepal Election Commissioner Dr Rajiv Subba has praised Bangladesh’s expatriate voting system, describing it as a unique and satisfactory model that could serve as an example for other countries.
He made the remarks on Thursday after completing a two-day experience-sharing programme on postal voting at the Election Commission building in Agargaon.
Subba said Nepal was inspired by the Overseas Citizens Voting (OCV) concept developed with the support of International IDEA Services.
“We are truly inspired by the OCV concept,” he said, describing the Bangladesh Election Commission’s initiative as a significant milestone and a unique example for Bangladesh, South Asia and the wider global electoral process.
He said he had learned that several countries were now looking to Bangladesh to understand how they could develop similar systems in their own countries.
“This is not the end of the discussion; rather, it is only the beginning. We look forward to moving ahead together and learning from each other,” Subba said.
He said Nepal was still studying which voting method would be most appropriate for its own context.
“We want to include everyone, considering the contribution of our hardworking people, including their remittances and contributions after returning home, while keeping the cost as low as possible,” he said.
Subba described Bangladesh’s OCV model as highly acceptable and satisfactory, but said a final decision would not depend solely on the Election Commission, as the government would also have to make a decision.
“Nevertheless, it is a highly promising method that we could adopt,” he said.
The Election Commission introduced IT-supported postal voting for the first time in the 13th parliamentary election under Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin. The system is available to Bangladeshis living both at home and abroad.
Inside Bangladesh, people engaged in election duties, government employees and prisoners are eligible to vote through the system, while expatriate Bangladeshis living abroad can also use the facility.
The EC developed an app called Postal Vote BD for the purpose. Once voters register through the app, ballot papers along with return envelopes are sent to their registered addresses. After casting their votes, voters can deposit the return envelopes at the nearest postbox, from where they are sent to the returning officer of the respective constituency.