Dhaka:State Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Mir Shahe Alam, MP, announced plans to reinstate the village government system to improve delivery of civic services in remote areas.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the government aims to streamline birth and death registration services through local administrations. This initiative seeks to enhance the accuracy and organization of these vital records.
The announcement was made during a celebration of National Birth and Death Registration Day at Hotel Sonargaon, where Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan was the chief guest.
Alam emphasized the importance of accurate birth and death data for effective planning and service delivery, highlighting the issues arising from current data management systems. He pointed out that accurate population counts are crucial for planning food supplies, nutrition, child vaccination programs, and other essential services.
The state minister underscored the significance of birth registration certificates as the foundation of a child's legal identity, establishing key details such as date and place of birth, and parental information.
He revealed that the village government system will be restored based on previous initiatives by Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman and former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia. The government intends to draft a new Village Government Act, combining existing laws from 1980 and 2003 to empower ward and union parishad levels.
This system aims to reduce service delivery difficulties and prevent fraudulent entries in the registration database. Additionally, the government is working on a 'single digital ID' system and a digital wallet for citizens, while updating the Birth and Death Registration Information System (BDRIS).
Alam assured the government's commitment to creating a modern and secure state with assured citizen security, food security, and good governance. The program was chaired by Local Government Division Secretary Md. Shahidul Hasan and attended by various officials and international representatives.