Bangladesh News

The government faces a mammoth task of completing issuing of birth certificates to 44.3 percent of the total population in less than a year. It took three years to register 55.7 percent citizens after the Birth and Death Registration Act was enforced in 2006.

It will be really tough to complete the birth registration process by June 2010 as only 15.7 percent population could be provided with birth certificates in a year since March 2008, speakers said at the inaugural ceremony of the National Birth Registration Day yesterday.

However, Health and Family Welfare Minister AFM Ruhal Haque said at yesterday’s function, “We will be able to provide all with birth certificates by June 2010.” He called for involvement of all sectors to achieve that goal.

According to the Birth and Death Registration Act 2004, birth certificates will be compulsory for obtaining access to 16 essential services like owning passport, marriage registration and getting admission to educational institutions.

Speakers at the programme called for implementation of an electronic system to ensure nationwide birth registration as the existing manual registration system is rather slow. They said this would help ensure birth registration of all within the targeted time as well as materialise the dream of a “digital Bangladesh”.

“Every child has the right to be registered and have a name…these rights are enshrined in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child ratified by Bangladesh in 1990,” said Carel de Rooy, Unicef Representative in Bangladesh.

He said it is important to ensure birth registration of children living in remote areas of the country such as chars and haors, children without parents, and the refugee children to save them from exploitation and ensure their access to basic services.

Prof Syed Modasser Ali, adviser to the prime minister for health and family welfare, and LGRD Minister Jahangir Kabir Nanak were present as special guests at the ceremony held at Osmani Memorial Hall.

The National Birth Registration Day was marked by a colourful rally led by Nanak that paraded from the Nagar Bhaban to the Jatiya Press Club and a cultural programme by the Chapai Gambheera group.

The government officially declared July 3 as the National Birth Registration Day in 2007.

“A birth certificate serves as a legal document for age verification, acknowledging the individual’s existence and status before the law, thus realising every person’s right to an identity. The birth certificate will enhance our vigilance to stop child trafficking, child marriage and child abuse,” said Jahangir Kabir Nanak