NIDs for children right after birth: Cabinet secy
Instead of the Election Commission, the Ministry of Home Affairs will provide a unique birth certificate number which will be considered as an NID number
The government has decided to issue NIDs (national identity cards) to children right after birth, according to the draft of the "National Identity Registration Law 2022" approved at a cabinet division meeting at the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) on Monday.
Instead of the Election Commission, the Security Service Division of the Ministry of Home Affairs will provide a unique birth certificate number which will be considered as an NID number, said Cabinet Secretary Khandker Anwarul, briefing the press after the meeting.
"The decision has been taken to bring NID registration under government supervision as the purpose of the Election Commission was to prepare voter ID cards, not NID cards," said the secretary.
Since 2007, the commission has been issuing NID cards to citizens above 18 years as per the National Identity Registration Act 2010.
"We will synchronize the NID with the passport. We will take fingerprint, face, and retina patterns, which will then be added to the NID within three to four years. Many services will be easy after providing the NID card," the cabinet secretary added.
He informed reporters that the election commission will keep issuing the NIDs until the draft is reviewed by the legislative division based on existing law and is passed in parliament.
Regarding the voter list, he said the commission can collect information from the Security Service Division required for making voter lists.
There will be no complexities in preparing voter lists in the future, but the NID and voter ID will be different, he added.
MoU signed for direct flights to Brunei
On Monday, the cabinet also approved signing an MoU with Brunei for direct flights to and from Bangladesh.
Sources at the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism said Brunei Darussalam Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah is scheduled for his maiden visit to Bangladesh from 14-16 October.
Dhaka expects to ink some MoUs, especially on labour recruitment, direct air service, and energy cooperation during his visit.
