The Cabinet today approved in principle the draft of National Identity Registration Act, 2022 – to bring the national identity registration operation under Security Services Division, Ministry of Home Affairs, from Election Commission and introduce a unique identity number for every Bangladeshi citizen in future.

The approval came from the Cabinet meeting, held with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair at her office.

“The decision was taken to bring national identity registration under the Security Services Division (of Home Ministry) which handles the passport (operation). There would ultimately be a unique identity (against each national),” Cabinet Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam said while briefing reporters after the meeting.

The birth registration number of a person will be used in his/her passport, NID and other documents, he said.

He said now the decision has been taken to bring the NID registration under the supervision of the government as the original concept (of the EC), which was floated in December 1996, was the preparation of voter cards not NID cards. “The basic concept was related to elections,” he added.

The Election Commission currently conducts the national identity registration operation and issues the national identity cards against citizens aged 18 or above, since 2007, as per the National Identity Registration Act, 2010.

The Cabinet Secretary said the Security Services Division placed the draft law in the Cabinet.

“It (the draft law) has been approved in principle. But the condition is that the Legislative Division will consult with all the concerned,” he said.

He said the Legislative Division was asked to review the draft law on the basis of the existing law as much as possible and bring it against adding just a few clauses if needed.