Historic poll sees millions vote at home in Bangladesh and 122 countries as Commonwealth team observes process

Long before polling stations officially opened at 7:30 a.m., the quiet hum of anticipation was already building across the country, observed closely by Commonwealth election observers stationed at key polling centres across Bangladesh.

By mid-morning, what began as quiet anticipation had become a steady flow of civic participation as voters streamed in to cast their ballots, marking an important stage in the nation’s democratic journey. Today, citizens are not only voting in the 13th Parliamentary Election but also participating in a constitutional referendum on the July Charter reforms.

With over 127 million registered voters eligible to cast their ballots and 2,026 candidates, including 78 women contesting the race, this election stands as the largest democratic exercise of 2026 in the Commonwealth and the world.

Across the country, 42,779 polling centres opened their doors, and will operate until 4:30 p.m. when polls close.

For the first time, diaspora voters are participating from 122 countries, with more than 772 thousand out-of-country voters registered, and 1.53 million voters have registered to vote by post.

At a polling centre in Habiganj-03, 19-year-old Yudhishtir Biswas, an undergraduate student at the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh and a first-time voter, emerged moments after casting his ballot.

“This moment feels deeply meaningful,” he said. “It’s the first time my voice formally counts in a national decision. Observing the process as a participant in the Commonwealth Charter workshop for young people has made me aware of how important the Charter’s values of trust, transparency, and fairness are to democracy. You don’t just watch people vote; you watch how confident they feel that their vote matters.”

The Chairperson of the Commonwealth Observer Group, HE Nana Akufo-Addo, former president of Ghana, who observed as the polls opened in Dhaka-08, at the Viqarunnisa Noon School and College polling station said:

“Our team is observing the entire process, from the opening of polling stations to the result management processes. The inclusion of diaspora voters on this scale, alongside the simultaneous referendum on the constitutional reforms, is noteworthy and reflects a commitment to enhancing democratic processes.”

The Commonwealth team were deployed across eight divisions two days before polling, where they met local stakeholders, and saw pre-poll arrangements.

They will issue findings of their preliminary report on 14 February.

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