Election Commission(EC) is going to start the process of registering the expatriates in the voter list through listing the expatriates in Singapore in September. The registration process will begin in the last week of current July through on line. Next the expatriates will be given smart card by the NID wing of EC.
It is learnt from EC sources, in the specialized web site of EC the expatriates of Singapore can apply through on line to become voter paving way to include 50 thousand Bangladeshi expatriates to be voter.
As part of the process a separate server will be set up by EC which will be connected with EC website through a separate link. The expatriate citizens through that link can apply filling up necessary form and uploading the necessary documents.
That application will be sent to the concerned upazilla for verification. After verification if it is found to be correct then the applicants will be included in the voter list. In the first week of September a technical team of EC will go to Singapore to complete the technical formalities of smart card.
Speaking to bartatwentyfour.com Joint Secretary and director (operations) of NID wing Abdul Baten told that we are trying to create on line facilities for the expatriates of few countries including Singapore. He said that the concerned of Singapore told us they want to work with us in the process of doing formalities of smart card.
Director General of NID wing Brigadier General Mohammad Saidul Islam told that the number of expatriates in Singapore is not so high. However if the EC takes decision then we will act accordingly.
From last March 3 to March 9 a high powered team led by secretary of EC submitted feasibility reports after visiting Singapore for making the expatriates of Singapore voter. After that the EC is likely to send a technical team, machineries and necessary man power taking an office on hire through the embassy.
It is learnt that if the pilot project of Singapore becomes successful then the process will be started in UAE, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and other Middle Eastern countries to include the Bangladeshi expatriates in the voter list.
The EC is going to start the process of making even the illegal migrants living in Australia, UK, Kuwait and so on. To conduct a feasibility study on next July 28 Election Commissioner Rafiqul Islam and joint secretary Abul Kashem are going to UK.
It may be mentioned here that at present more than one lakh Bangladeshi immigrants are staying in Singapore while the number of immigrants around the world is about one crore.