The Election Commission intends to have Bangladesh's diplomatic missions abroad set up cells with a view to identifying Bangladeshi citizens and including their names on the voter list. What the EC must also do is explain the modalities by which the expatriates will be made voters. A relevant point in this context will relate to their addresses and status abroad. As for casting their votes, the issue of whether or not the expatriates will be able to express their opinions at elections by postal ballot is important. In fact, it is necessary that once expatriate Bangladeshis become voters, they be given the right to cast their votes through such postal ballots. For them to come home all the way from abroad in order to vote will be as difficult as it will be unrealistic. There is, additionally, the matter of what the EC ought to be doing about those Bangladeshis who hold dual citizenship (which is the case about most expatriates anyway). This should not present any problem. Any individual who holds a Bangladesh passport anywhere is our citizen and therefore has the right to vote irrespective of what other nationality he or she holds concurrently.

Expatriate Bangladeshis have over the years made valuable contributions to the national economy through pumping their hard-earned money into development work back home. Abroad, they have earned a good reputation as unofficial ambassadors for their home country. It is therefore only right and proper that the country do something in return for them. Enlisting them as voters and ensuring that they vote will be one way of helping them identify with the aspirations of millions of their fellow citizens here at home.