The responsibility to give national ID cards
Wednesday, 2 January 2008
MANY people criticise the present caretaker government's initiative to provide national identity cards to the voters. They are usually opposed to giving important information like passport or TIN numbers to the people, assigned to collect such information from them by visiting their homes. Such non-cooperation is nothing but a goofy thing on their part, as it would deprive all of us of the national level facilities. Not only this, they also want to deprive the nation of developing a system, to ensure a corruption free society.
The ID card initiative should have been taken by the previous governments long back. But they did not do that to suit their objectives. Had they developed system during their tenures wrong doings, many would have been exposed and the level of corruption checked.
People usually do not want to give passport and TIN numbers from the worries that they might be harassed. The passport might be used for illegal means and TIN number to disclose information regarding secret income.
But this situation cannot continue. If we cannot develop a system we cannot expect a corruption free future. We have to forget the past when malpractice was common. Rather, we should dream for a future, where we at least can try to be honest and fair. It is our duty to cooperate with the government to have National ID cards not only for now but also for those who turn 18 every year. Until a system is not developed when all would get their ID cards automatically becoming eligible to be voters, it is the responsibility of the authorities concerned to make people aware of their eligibility.
Rawshan Jahan
Bailey Road, Dhaka
The ID card initiative should have been taken by the previous governments long back. But they did not do that to suit their objectives. Had they developed system during their tenures wrong doings, many would have been exposed and the level of corruption checked.
People usually do not want to give passport and TIN numbers from the worries that they might be harassed. The passport might be used for illegal means and TIN number to disclose information regarding secret income.
But this situation cannot continue. If we cannot develop a system we cannot expect a corruption free future. We have to forget the past when malpractice was common. Rather, we should dream for a future, where we at least can try to be honest and fair. It is our duty to cooperate with the government to have National ID cards not only for now but also for those who turn 18 every year. Until a system is not developed when all would get their ID cards automatically becoming eligible to be voters, it is the responsibility of the authorities concerned to make people aware of their eligibility.
Rawshan Jahan
Bailey Road, Dhaka