EC plans to issue NID cards from age six

The Election Commission (EC) is planning to issue national identity cards (NID) from the age of six. A proposal has been made to bring citizens aged 6 to 16 — minors — under registration in the first phase. However, no final decision has been taken on the matter yet.

Senior officials of the Election Commission shared the plan on Saturday (7 November). According to EC sources, the registration of minors for NID was discussed at a recent policy meeting of the commission.

At the meeting, EC Secretary Akhtar Ahmed tabled a proposal on the matter. He said registration could begin from government primary schools, with the aim of building a database of children aged 6 to 16.

The meeting directed that a detailed workshop be held on the issue. The instruction came from Election Commissioner Abul Fazal Md. Sanaullah, who chairs the committee on the application of information technology in national identity cards, voter lists and election management.

The Director General of the National Identity Registration Division has been tasked with preparing effective recommendations after taking opinions from relevant stakeholders and experts. The commission is expected to take its final decision based on those recommendations.

At present, a person can obtain a national identity card after turning 17, and their name is automatically included in the voter list after turning 18.

However, there has been a long-standing demand to bring younger citizens under NID as well, so that their civic identity is confirmed and access to various government and private services becomes easier. Considering this, the Election Commission has now taken up the matter.

Under the proposal, information of children aged 6 to 16 will be collected step by step from government primary schools. This would confirm children's civic identity from an early age and make identity verification easier when receiving services.

Meanwhile, according to the EC's latest updated figures, the country currently has a total of 128,777,643 voters — 65,510,665 men, 63,265,711 women and 1,267 third-gender voters.

The commission will announce its final decision after the workshop and expert opinions. If the decision is finalised, millions of children and adolescents in the country will come under the national identity card system for the first time.