Nat'l ID for those aged 15 and above

The Election Commission has decided to issue National Identity (NID) cards to the citizens aged between 15 and 18.

Currently, Bangladeshis aged 18 or above are given NID cards and enrolled in the voter list.  

All the citizens 15 and above will get NIDs, but only those 18 or above will be included in the voter list.

With the aim of implementing the decision, the EC will start updating the electoral roll across the country in July, said EC officials.

The EC's data collectors will go door-to-door for gathering information about Bangladeshi citizens who were born on or before January 1, 2001.

“We will collect the information of the citizens aged below 18 in advance so that our data collectors need not visit a home repeatedly,” Election Commissioner Shah Nawaz told The Daily Star.

Whenever these below 18 would turn 18, they will automatically be enrolled in the voter list, he added.

Currently, there are over 9.62 crore voters in Bangladesh.

WOMEN MEMBERS IN UPAZILA

The EC will hold elections to over 475 upazila parishads for reserved women members on June 15, an election commissioner told this newspaper.

According to the Local Government (Upazila Parishad) Act 1998, the number of reserved women members in a particular upazila would be one-third of the total number of union parishads and municipalities under the administrative area of the upazila.

The members and councillors elected in women's reserved seats in those union parishads and municipalities will contest the elections for women's reserved seats in upazila parishads. The elected representatives such as general members, councillors, chairmen and mayors of union parishads and municipalities will cast votes for electing the women members of the upazila parishads.

Over 475 upazilas went to polls in different phases from February to December last year. Formation of the upazila parishads will remain incomplete until the elections to women's reserved seats are held.