The Election Commission has completed the update of the voter list for the upcoming elections. In this updated list, around 6.2 million voters—women, men, and hijras (transgender individuals)—have been newly registered.
According to sources at the Election Commission, from January 20, officials went door to door for two weeks to update the voter list. This activity was carried out in 10 regions: Dhaka, Chittagong, Barisal, Khulna, Rangpur, Sylhet, Comilla, Mymensingh, Rajshahi, and Faridpur.
As part of the Voter List Update-2025, data was collected from a total of 6,556,595 people. Among them, 6,188,043 voters have been newly registered.
In the updated list, new voters—those born between January 2, 2007, and January 1, 2008—number 1,653,204. Among them, there are 908,315 women, 744,861 men, and 28 hijras.
On the other hand, under the category of voters who should have been registered earlier but were not for various reasons—those born before January 1, 2007—there are 4,534,839 newly registered voters. Among them, 2,637,857 are women, 1,896,828 are men, and 154 are hijras.
Additionally, 2,054,665 deceased voters have been removed.
As of March 2, 2025, the number of voters stood at 123,700,274. Among them, there were 63,361,615 women, 60,369,665 men, and 994 hijras.
Regarding the voter list update, ASM Humayun Kabir, director general of the National Identity Registration Division of the Election Commission, told the Dhaka Tribune: “Ahead of the upcoming election, in January, we carried out voter updating activities in 10 regions of Bangladesh. So far, 6.2 million voters have been newly registered. The final list will be published soon.”
According to the Election Commission’s estimates, approximately 130 million voters will be registered in the updated list and will be eligible to vote in the upcoming election.
How to become a new voter
Although 6.2 million voters have been added to the list, many eligible individuals are still not included. Most people are unaware of the proper procedure to become a voter. There are also complaints that the process is lengthy and complicated, discouraging people from registering. As a result, many rely on government updates.
According to sources at the Election Commission, to become a new voter, one must first apply online on the National ID Database Services (NIDW) website.
To apply, the applicant must be at least 18 years old. A form must be downloaded and filled out. Along with the form, the following documents must be submitted:
- Online birth certificate (in both Bengali and English)
- Photocopies of parents’ national ID cards
- Spouse’s national ID card (for married applicants)
- Citizenship certificate
- Educational qualification certificates (if available, such as PSC, JSC, SSC)
If the registration form includes education details (for classes 1 to 5), a certification from the head teacher is required. Additionally, photocopies of tax receipts, electricity/gas/water bills, a blood group report from a government hospital, passport (if available), and a certificate from the Union Parishad Chairman or Councillor stating that the applicant has never been registered as a voter must be attached.
In section 34 of the application form, the NID number of a close relative—father/mother/brother/sister, or for married women, husband/father-in-law/mother-in-law—must be provided. In section 35, the applicant’s signature must be included.
In section 40, the name of the verifying Councillor or Union Member must be given. In section 41, their NID number, and in section 42, their signature and official seal must be provided.
All information must be filled in correctly. Otherwise, the application will be rejected. After submitting the required fee at the time of application, the data will be verified by the registration center of the district or upazila election office and then entered into the online system.
Once this is complete, a date will be given for photograph and biometric data capture. On that date, the applicant must go to the election office, where their photo and biometric data will be taken to complete the registration process. After completing all steps, the applicant’s name will be added to the voter list.
Registration delays
Meanwhile, 22-year-old Asif Alam Simanto has been waiting to become a voter for the past eight months.
A resident of Narayanganj district, Simanto said: “Even after crossing 18 years of age, I still couldn’t get added to the voter list. I don’t know the proper procedure to become a voter. No one has come to our house yet for voter registration. But I urgently need a national ID card for freelancing work. I took the required documents to the district election commission office to become a new voter, but didn’t get much response. They said they would call for photos and biometrics, but I haven’t received any message or phone call yet. I went to the election office several times, but it was of no use. They said it would take more time.”
Singapore expatriate Anwar is also waiting to become a voter.
He applied from Araihazar upazila about a year ago, but has yet to receive any message. Speaking over the phone, Anwar said: “Last year in January, I came to Bangladesh to get an NID. Then, in May, after dealing with issues like correcting my parents’ NID and submitting my birth certificate, the process halted due to the movement. But it’s been a year, and I still haven’t received any message.”
However, Robiul, a young man who visited the Election Commission office in Agargaon, said that since all his documents were correct, he was called for biometrics and photo capture just seven days after applying.
The Director General of the National Identity Registration Division, ASM Humayun Kabir, told the Dhaka Tribune: “Anyone—whether a citizen of Bangladesh or an expatriate—can now apply online to become a registered voter. After verifying all the information, the applicant’s photo and biometrics will be completed through the respective election office. This process doesn’t usually take long, but due to inefficiencies among officials, it often gets delayed.”
How to check if you are a voter
There are several ways to check if you are a registered voter.
First, if you have a National Identity Card or Smart Card, you are already a registered voter, as everyone on the voter list receives one.
Second, even if you don’t have a National ID or Smart Card, but you are registered, the Election Commission or your local district/upazila office usually sends a voter number via SMS.
You can also visit the Election Commission’s website and enter your voter ID card number to verify your status. Additionally, you can go to the upazila election office or your local police station to check the voter list.
ASM Humayun Kabir said: “After completing the application process, biometrics, and photo capture, the voter number is sent to the mobile number provided in the application, or a voter slip is issued that contains the number. With this number, the national ID can be downloaded online. Having a national ID means the person is on the voter list. A Smart Card is not mandatory to be a voter. According to the updated list, everyone born up to January 1, 2008, has been registered.”
