NCP press conference in Malaysia demanding voting rights for expatriates

The NCP Diaspora Alliance—Malaysia Chapter held a press conference on Saturday (June 21) at the Radhuni Vilas restaurant in Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur, demanding voting rights for the nearly 15 million expatriates worldwide.

Enamul Haque, a central member of the NCP Central Diaspora Alliance, read the written press release at the press conference. Alamgir Chowdhury Akash, another central member of the NCP Central Diaspora Alliance, moderated the program.

The press conference said, 'The expatriates are equally important not only for the economy but also for the country's democracy and future. Yet they are still deprived of the right to vote in national elections. This is cruel discrimination. More than 15 million Bangladeshi citizens around the world, including about 2 million Malaysian expatriates, live outside the country. Although this large population keeps the country's economy running by constantly sending remittances, they are still deprived of political representation.'

Among the demands presented at the press conference were - protecting the voting rights of expatriate Bangladeshis in law and the constitution, publishing a transparent and time-bound roadmap for the Election Commission and the government, opening polling stations in embassies around the world, introducing a safe and impartial online voting system based on national identity card verification, creating a special 'voter list' for expatriates, and running an IT-based campaign to raise awareness among expatriate voters.

Ordinary expatriates present at the press conference said that these demands are not to gain any party advantage—this is an apolitical, democratic and humanitarian demand, which is an attempt to establish equal rights and dignity for all Bangladeshis.

The NCP Diaspora Alliance - Malaysia Chapter strongly calls on the Bangladesh government and relevant parties to ensure mandatory expatriate voting rights in the 2026 national elections and to introduce an online voting system through national identity card verification.

Present at the press conference were Rawshan Alam, Mohammad Al Amin, Shahidul Islam, Daud Islam Bhuiyan, Bashir Ahmed Alam, Raihan Hossain, Ariful Islam, Mohammad Emon, Tuhin Hossain, Murad Hossain, Habibur Rahman, Mamunur Rashid, Belayet Hossain, Mushfiqur Rahman and Shahadat Alam.