Dhaka:A discussion on 'National Birth and Death Registration Day 2026' was held at a city hotel, where Dr. Abdul Moyeen Khan, the Minister for Local Government, Rural Development (LGRD), and Cooperatives, emphasized that serving the public is the primary duty of an elected government.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Dr. Khan urged elected representatives and government officials to work responsibly to fulfill the expectations of those who elect them. He stressed that their collective efforts should aim to serve the public effectively.
Dr. Khan also highlighted the importance of the birth and death registration system in national administration, expressing concern over discrepancies between actual population figures and those recorded in the registration database. He pointed out that the database contains information on more people than the country's population of approximately 190 million, urging corrections to ensure reliability.
He further noted that technology alone cannot guarantee quality public services; the individuals operating these systems must act responsibly. He called for accountability and a focus on a people-oriented approach to service delivery, adding that citizens should not need to make multiple visits to obtain a birth certificate.
State Minister for Local Government Mir Shahe Alam, speaking as a special guest, noted that former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia, in collaboration with UNICEF, introduced the birth and death registration system in 2001, incorporating maternal identification. He pointed out statistical discrepancies, noting that Bangladesh has 24.88 crore birth registrations and 58.19 lakh death registrations, while the population was recorded at around 17 crore in the 2022 census, emphasizing the need for accurate data.
He also discussed the Birth and Death Registration Information System (BDRIS) as crucial for the 'One Citizen, One ID, One Digital Wallet' initiative, emphasizing the importance of raising awareness at the grassroots level. Additionally, he suggested that reintroducing the village government system could enhance the accuracy of registration data.
The event was chaired by Local Government Division Secretary Md Shahidul Hasan, with attendance from officials of relevant ministries, government agencies, and representatives from the European Union Delegation in Dhaka and UNICEF Bangladesh.