Dhaka: Youths aged 16 or above will now be able to avail themselves of national identity (NID) services and cards, following a decision by the Election Commission. The EC has issued a notification directing its field-level officials to extend these services to Bangladeshi citizens aged 16 and 17. This decision marks a shift from the previous policy where only citizens aged at least 18 were eligible for NID services since the introduction of NID registration in 2008.
According to United News of Bangladesh, the notification specifies that the Election Commission will conduct registration activities for citizens who are 16 or 17 years old at the time of their application. This aligns with Article 5 of the National Identity Registration (Amendment, 2013) Act, 2010. The directive has been sent to the Director General of the NID Registration Wing, as well as regional, district, and upazila/thana election officers.
The EC initially introduced the NID card in 2008 during the preparation of the country’s electoral rolls with photographs, ahead of the ninth parliamentary election. Laminated NID cards were first issued to citizens aged 18 and above, with smart NID cards being distributed starting in 2016. NID cards are essential for accessing various government and private services such as opening bank accounts, obtaining passports and driving licenses, registering SIM cards, and securing land-related services.