Smart NID cards distribution begins Oct 02

The Election Commission (EC) will start distributing machine-readable smart national identity (NID) cards among 100 million citizens tomorrow.


 The smart NID cards will replace the existing laminated cards, reports BSS.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is scheduled to inaugurate the distribution of the smart NID cards at a function at Osmany Memorial Hall in the city.

Election Commissioner M Shah Newaz earlier told BSS that the EC would collect card holders’ biometric details, impression of 10 fingers and picture of iris of during the distribution of smart cards.

Being machine readable the smart NIDs will have additional safety measures against forgery.

According to EC Secretariat Director (public relations) S M Asaduzzaman Arzu, after the inaugural programme, smart NID cards would be first handed over to the president, the prime minister and the members of the national cricket team.

The distribution of NID cards will begin in two city corporations in Dhaka and in a remote area in Kurigram the following day. Then smart cards would be distributed at upazila, municipality, union and ward levels in phases.

EC officials said the number of voters in the country is about 100 million at present. A total of 81 million 58 thousand and 698 citizens got laminated NID cards eight years ago for the first time. But some unscrupulous people are forging those cards. The machine-readable smart cards will prevent the forgery.

To maintain security of the smart cards, 25 international certifications and standards have been ensured. The microchips in smart cards will contain all information of a citizen.

The card holders will get 22 types of services, including banking, TIN, driving license and passport.

EC officials said, though the smart NID cards would be given free of cost, the cardholder will have to pay a fixed amount of money if he or she goes to collect a new one after losing it twice.