The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

The Council of Advisers yesterday approved the National Identity Registration Authority Ordinance at a meeting with Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed in the chair at his office in the capital.

Disclosing this after the meeting Press Secretary to the Chief Adviser told journalists that the Ordinance provided stringent punishment to the violators of the law.

"The Ordinance provides for a minimum of three months and a maximum of seven years in prison for such crimes. The CrPC will be followed in trial of the cases," he said, adding,"The ID cards issued by the Election Commission will be considered National ID (N ID) cards. The registration authority will work under the Ministry Home Affairs."

Obtaining more than one national identity card and carrying fake NID providing false information would be considered punishable offences, he added.

Referring to other provisions in the ordinance, Syed Fahim Munaim, Press Secretary to the Chief Adviser, said, "Changing information in the ID card for an ulterior motive and making a fake identity card are also punishable offences."

He said a national information database and registration authority would be established as per the Ordinance.

"The main functions of the registration authority will include setting up a national information database centre and maintenance, receiving and issuing cards, coordinating the registration of birth and death of citizens under the Local Government departments," the Ordinance said.

Work on preparing one crore national identity cards has already been completed across the country.

"The head office of the authority will be located in Dhaka. The authority can set up its branches in any Division, District or Upazila if necessary," the law reads, adding, "The number of members will be no more than four, each with the status of a Joint Secretary."

The Chairman of the authority would be appointed from among the Government officials, who enjoy the status of an Additional Secretary.

The authority will have funds that might be formed by either with government donations, loans or money received from other sources.

"The authority will submit an annual report to the government prior to the end of the year," the Ordinance continued, "It (authority) can prepare rules and regulations in consultation with the Government, but those must be published in the form official gazette."