LAKSHMIPUR, Jan 15, 2026 (BSS) - Expatriate voters from Lakshmipur district have shown significant enthusiasm ahead of the 13th National Parliament election, with nearly 33,000 overseas voters applying to cast their ballots through the postal voting system.

According to the District Election Office, a total of 32,980 expatriates from Lakshmipur’s four parliamentary constituencies have completed their applications to vote by postal ballot using the mobile application “Postal Vote BD.” This marks the first time expatriates are being allowed to participate in a national election through postal voting.

There are an estimated 150,000 voters from Lakshmipur living abroad, primarily in Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, the United States, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, and Singapore. 

Many expatriates expressed excitement and relief at being able to exercise their voting rights while remaining overseas.

Speaking over the phone, expatriates including Shariful Islam (Dubai), Abul Hashem (Saudi Arabia), and Tofail Ahmed (Singapore) welcomed the initiative and expressed hope for a peaceful, fair, and credible election.

“We want an election free from violence and chaos,” said Tofail Ahmed. “This will be my first time voting. It feels very good. We want to vote for honest and deserving candidates and see a corruption-free Bangladesh.”

Expatriate voters said they would support candidates who demonstrate concern for migrant workers’ issues, including workplace hardships, legal protection, and welfare abroad.

Local residents of Lakshmipur also praised the Election Commission’s initiative, saying that allowing expatriates to vote would strengthen democracy. Many believe expatriate votes could play a decisive role in determining election outcomes in some constituencies.

District Election Officer Md. Abdur Rashid confirmed that all procedures, including registration and application verification, have been completed digitally.

“Expatriates are voting for the first time in the country’s history. Around 33,000 overseas voters from Lakshmipur have successfully applied through the Postal Vote BD app,” he said, adding that Lakshmipur ranks 10th nationwide in terms of expatriate voter applications.