Election Commission (EC) launched online registration of National Identity Card (NID) for expatriate Bangladeshis on Tuesday, paving the way for ensuring voting rights to them at their job destination countries.
Besides, they will get all facilities related to NID at home and abroad.
Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda inaugurated the online registration programme from Dhaka through a video conference in Malaysia where Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Imran Ahmed was present.
Based on the experience of Malaysia, the Election Commission (EC) will expand the online service to the United Kingdom (UK), the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia, Singapore and other countries.
Bangladeshi expatriates can apply for the registration by visiting services.nidw.gov.bd. If information provided is perfect, then the EC will go for next steps for issuing NIDs by taking photos, fingerprints, and images of their irises.
However, KM Nurul Huda suggested to the expatriate Bangladeshis not to make deals with middlepeople for taking any assistance as they may fall prey to their malpractices.
"It is a very easy process," he said adding that applicants do no need to take support from anyone.
But, if it is needed, they should take help from trusted friends or relatives, he added.
Although a large number of Bangladeshis are staying abroad, most of them do not possess NIDs. So they were not eligible to be enlisted in the voter list.
Through NIDs, they will be able to access to other essential services like opening up bank accounts, purchase of land, issuance of passports etc.
Minister Imran Ahmed thanked the EC for this initiative as it will ensure voting rights for expatriate Bangladeshis.
They will also be able to receive necessary services at home, he expressed optimism.
Brig Gen Mohammad Saidul Islam, director general of the commission's National Identity Registration Wing, delivered a power point presentation regarding registration process of Bangladeshi migrants.
Documents like copy of Bangladesh passport and dual citizenship certificate are required for the applicant of NID abroad.
The government of Bangladesh will conduct awareness programme about the registration process among the migrant Bangladeshis abroad.
More than 12 million Bangladeshis went abroad with jobs since 1996. Most of them are in Middle Eastern countries, according to the Bureau of Manpower Employment and Training (BMET). About 1.0 million workers went to Malaysia.
Besides, more than 1.1 million long-term Bangladeshi migrants are residing in different countries like the United States (US), the UK, Italy, Canada, Japan, Australia, Greece, Spain, Germany, South Africa, France, the Netherlands, Belgium and Switzerland, according to a 2015 study of International Labour Organization (ILO) on diaspora members.
Senior Secretary of the EC Md Alamgir, election commissioners Mahbub Talukdar, Rafiqul Islam, Kabita Khanam and Shahadat Hossain Chowdhury were among others present at the EC office in the capital while Bangladesh High Commissioner Shahidul Islam, Secretary Md Salim Reza and Additional Secretary Dr Ahmed Munirus Saleheen of expatriates' welfare ministry were present at Bangladesh High Commission in Kuala Lumpur during the video conference.
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