Govt, EC show-caused over halt of birth reg in Cox’s Bazar
The High Court yesterday issued a rule asking the government and the Election Commission (EC) to explain in four weeks why they should not be directed to resume birth registration of people at four municipalities and 71 unions in Cox’s Bazar.
In the rule, the court asked respondents to show cause why their inaction to resume birth registration at Cox’s Bazar, Chakoria, Maheskhali and Teknaf municipalities and 71 unions of the district should not be declared illegal, Deputy Attorney General Abdullah-Al-Mahmud Bashar told The Daily Star.
The LGRD secretary, home secretary, EC, registrar general of birth and death, divisional commissioner of Chattogram and its deputy commissioner have been made respondents to the rule.
The HC bench of Justice FRM Nazmul Ahasan and Justice KM Kamrul Kader came up with the rule following a writ petition filed by Nashreen Siddiqua Lina, a Supreme Court lawyer and resident of Cox’s Bazar, on October 14, seeking its order on the respondents to resume the birth registration in the areas.
Citing the writ petition, Lina told The Daily Star that birth registration of children at the four municipalities and 71 unions have reportedly been suspended on August 25, 2017, when Rohingyas fled to Cox’s Bazar from Myanmar.
Biometric registration of 11.4 lakh Rohingya refugees has already been completed, but the sufferings of Cox’s Bazar residents regarding birth registration have not ended, the petitioner said. She also said the suspension of birth registration is contradictory to the constitution.
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