The Election Commission (EC) on Wednesday (14th January 2026) clarified a viral video showing a large number of postal ballots delivered to a single address in Bahrain, saying the incident resulted from differences in the country’s postal delivery system and did not involve any irregularities in the voting process.

EC Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed made the clarification while responding to a question from reporters at Nirbachan Bhaban in the evening.

Asked about the viral video showing many postal ballots reaching the same address, he said Bangladesh’s postal ballots are being sent through the Universal Postal Union (UPU) with the assistance of the Bangladesh Postal Department.

“This has happened in the case of Bahrain as the postal systems of some countries including the Middle East are different. There, about 160 ballots have been left in one place in one box,” he said.

Read more: Over 15 lakh people register for postal voting: EC

Akhtar Ahmed explained that the delivery system there is similar to student hostels, where letters are kept at a designated place and recipients collect their own mail from there.

“Some 160 (postal) ballots were placed in a box. Later, the expatriate Bangladeshi brothers opened the box and divided it among four or five people—whoever lives in the room next to them takes it or delivers it,” he said.

The EC Secretary said a video of the process was recorded and circulated, which he personally thinks should not have been done. “From what we understand, someone posted the video out of excitement at receiving a ballot paper. If you observe carefully, there is no evidence that any envelope was opened.”

Akhtar Ahmed said the matter was immediately communicated to Bahrain Post, which clarified that the ballots were not delivered directly by them. The Bangladesh Ambassador in Bahrain is also overseeing the issue. “Bahrain Post has informed us that they will conduct an on-site investigation and report back.”

Earlier on Tuesday, the BNP raised concerns before the Election Commission over the viral video related to the distribution of postal ballots in Bahrain.

A four-member BNP delegation, led by Nazrul Islam Khan, chairman of the party’s Central Election Steering Committee, placed their concerns during a meeting with Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin.

Nazrul Islam Khan alleged irregularities in the overseas distribution of postal ballots, claiming that videos circulating on social media showed leaders of a particular political party handling a large number of ballot papers in Bahrain.

Read more: Over 1.53m voters register for postal balloting: Shafiqul Alam

He said the Election Commission informed them that the matter had already come to its notice and that the Bangladeshi Ambassador in Bahrain had been contacted.

The Commission assured the BNP delegation that further investigation would be conducted and appropriate action would be taken based on the findings.

On Tuesday, BNP raised concern before the Election Commission over the viral video regarding the distribution of postal ballots in Bahrain.

A four-member BNP delegation, led by BNP’s Central Election Steering Committee Chairman Nazrul Islam Khan, raised the concern and allegation at a meeting with Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin.

Nazrul Islam alleged that the video circulating on social media shows leaders of a particular political party handling a large number of ballot papers in Bahrain.

He said the EC told them that the issue has come to their notice and already contacted the Bangladeshi ambassador in Bahrain.

The Commission assured the BNP team that further investigation would be conducted and action would be taken based on the findings.

A total of 1,533,683 voters have registered to vote through postal ballots, of whom some 772,000 are expatriate Bangladeshis residing in different countries across the world.

The 13th national parliamentary election is scheduled to be held on February 12 next.

Read more: Bangladesh Polls: Registration time for postal voting extended till Jan 5