EC Enables E-Registration, Postal Voting for Prisoners

The Election Commission (EC) has created an opportunity for individuals held in prisons or under lawful custody in Bangladesh to register as voters online for the 13th National Parliamentary Election and the referendum scheduled for February 12. To facilitate this, a special digital platform has been launched through which eligible detainees can apply for voter registration.

The link to the platform was shared with media professionals on Thursday morning, December 25, by Md Mamun Or Rashid, Deputy Director of the Department of Films and Publications.

Earlier, the EC issued detailed guidelines for voting by eligible detainees. Under Rule 10A of the Election Conduct Rules, 2008 (Amended 2025), inmates and individuals in legal custody will be able to exercise their voting rights through the “In-Country Postal Voting” (ICPV) system. A directive signed by EC Deputy Secretary Mohammad Monir Hossain was sent to the Inspector General of Prisons on Wednesday, December 24.

According to the EC directive, the enlistment of voters held in prisons or legal custody must be approved through the respective authorities. Registration will be conducted using a dedicated digital platform (https://prisoner.ocv.gov.bd/login). Prison or custodial authorities will nominate two representatives at each facility to oversee the registration process. Upon completion, the authorities will send a printed, sealed, and signed list of registered voters to the Election Commission, while the nominated representatives will upload the required voter data to the designated portal in .xls or .csv format.

The directive further states that registered voters in prisons or legal custody will receive postal ballot envelopes through the concerned authorities. These envelopes, provided by the Election Commission, will contain two separate ballot papers—one for the parliamentary election and another for the referendum—along with voting instructions, a declaration form, and a return envelope bearing the address of the Returning Officer.

Prison and custodial authorities will also be responsible for setting up polling booths or secret voting chambers to ensure a proper voting environment. The postal ballot papers will not carry candidates’ names; instead, they will display only the allocated symbols with blank boxes beside them. Accordingly, the authorities will supply voters with the final list of candidates, including names and symbols, for their respective constituencies.

On the parliamentary election ballot, voters will cast their votes by placing a tick (√) or cross (×) in the blank box next to the chosen symbol. Similarly, on the referendum ballot, voters will mark a tick (√) or cross (×) beside “Yes” or “No.” Before voting, voters must complete and sign the declaration form by writing their name and national identity number. If a voter is unable to sign, another voter may attest on their behalf.

After voting, the two ballot papers must be placed in separate small envelopes and sealed. These envelopes, along with the signed declaration form, must then be placed inside the yellow return envelope addressed to the Returning Officer, sealed, and deposited at the designated location or box within the prison or custodial facility.

Once the voting process is completed, the prison or custodial authorities will securely store all postal ballot envelopes and, as quickly as possible, forward them to the nearest post office. Designated postal officials will then ensure prompt delivery of the envelopes to the respective Returning Officers.

Notably, no postage fee will be required for sending these envelopes, as the cost will be borne by the Bangladesh Sarkar.

DBTech/MR/IK/OR