Election Commissioner Abdur Rahmanel Masud announced on Saturday that the Election Commission (EC) intends to modify the design of domestic postal ballots while keeping the expatriate system unchanged.

Masud stated that the Commission is considering a plan to print internal postal ballots that specifically list the names of candidates for each respective constituency.

The Commissioner explained that the EC cannot change the ballots for expatriate voters because the delivery process for overseas citizens is time-consuming. Consequently, the postal ballots sent abroad will remain in their current format.

“We have not yet printed the postal ballots for use within the country,” Masud said. “Therefore, we have the opportunity to make necessary changes there”.

This decision follows a meeting last Thursday between the Election Commission and a delegation from the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), led by Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed. The delegation expressed concern over the complexity of the current postal ballot system.

Salahuddin Ahmed also proposed that the EC simplify postal ballots to match regular ballot papers, featuring only the names and symbols of the competing candidates for a specific seat.

Salahuddin noted that a significant number of voters within the country will use postal ballots. He urged the authorities to make the voting process easier rather than complicating it with a list of every available symbol.