Remittance sent by expatriate Bangladeshis is one of the driving forces of the country’s economy. There are instructions from the top level of the government to facilitate the expatriates' service receiving but its reflection is rarely seen. More than 1 crore remittance senders are without National Identity card which is required to receive services. As a result, they face various troubles after returning home. The government approved an around Tk 100 crore project to issue NID to the Bangladeshi expatriates but after a year, its implementation is still zero.
National ID card subdivision officials claimed that an initiative was taken with importance to give NID to the expatriates where they live but it has not been possible to begin the work due to not getting approval from the Foreign Ministry. So, people concerned, including the expatriates, stressed effective steps by the ministry. But its officials blamed the coronavirus situation for the deadlock in the project works.
NID officials said a total of 1,40,46,534 Bangladeshi nationals living in 40 countries without National ID cards. Officials concerned will have to go to these countries along with the necessary machine to execute the NID distributing programme. In the case of online application, taking fingerprints and iris of the expatriates will be required after verification of all information. The Election Commission (EC) took a project titled 'Identification System for Enhancing Access to Services (IDEA) Second Stage' in the span of November 2020 to November 2025. The government allocated around Tk 100 crore on the account of sending registration teams abroad and registering Bangladeshi nationals under the project but the work has not been started as the Foreign Ministry did not give clearance.
The coronavirus outbreak at the beginning of 2020 was shown as a hindrance to the programme. Subsequently, the virus situation improved but the work did not start.
It was learned that issuing NID to the expatriates working abroad was discussed at the deputy commissioner conference in 2017. It was informed in the meeting, 'Around 90 lakh citizens of the country (Currently more than 1.40 crore) work in different countries and earn a lot of foreign currency and play role in the economy. Many of them could not prepare NID for various reasons. Individual appearance is mandatory to prepare NID. Expatriates have to come home for receiving it or for correction. To do so, they face suffering. So, an opportunity of giving National ID card to the expatriates, correction and giving smartcard to them through the Bangladesh missions stationed abroad can be created.' At that time, the Prime Minister ordered to take proper measures after examining the project. On August 16, 2017, the Cabinet Division gave a letter to the secretary of the Expatriates Welfare and Overseas Employment Ministry to take steps regarding this.
In this context, the Expatriate Welfare and Overseas Employment Ministry on September 19 wrote to the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) to take measures for providing NID to the expatriates. On April 19, 2018, a seminar was held on giving NID to the ones and their right to vote. In the programme, politicians and civil society people of the country gave their opinion. Later on November 5, 2019, Expatriate Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Imran Ahmed inaugurated NID registration activities for the Bangladeshis living in Malaysia by opening website- services.nidw.gov.bd. Then, these activities were opened in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda opened the programme of providing NID to the expatriate in the UK as the third country.
2553 applications from abroad seeking NID
The officials said 2,553 applications, so far, were made in the portal run for registration of the expatriates' identity. Out of these, 239 came from Malaysia, 912 from Saudi Arabia, 151 from Singapore, 741 from the United Arab Emirates, 485 from UK, and 25 from the Maldives. In verification, 700 people's documents are found ok and their applications were approved. But many expatriates alleged that they cannot access the portal. Some others said they cannot complete the application.
Russel Ridoy, who has been working at a company in Malaysia for more than seven years, had NID during leaving the country. Now he turned 29 but still no it. He faces various problems for not having a NID card. That is why this remittance warrior became very happy when NID registration activities were launched in Malaysia. Later, he applied for registration with his Malaysian mobile number but the website mentioned above had not taken it anyway, leaving him anxious.
He told Jago News, "I have long been in Malaysia. When I came here, I had no ID card. Later, I did not back home and register for NID. I became very happy seeing the inauguration of the NID programme in Malaysia but now I cannot complete registration with my current mobile number. Several other expatriates familiar to me face the same problem. We are worried whether we will get NID."
The programme inaugurated by Expatriate Welfare Minister Imran Ahmed in Malaysia did not succeed. He was contacted to know about this but he did not agree to talk. Later, his private secretary Mohammad Rasheduzzaman said, "It is Election Commission’s duty. The minister was in Malaysia during the programme opening and he attended it at the request of the Bangladesh High Commissioner there."
Asked about the activities, EC Secretary Md Humayun Kabir Khandaker told Jago News, "We are supposed to go to some countries, including the UK, Malaysia, and the Middle East, to bring our citizens living there under voter list and provide NID card to them. We maintain communication with the Foreign Ministry regarding this. The work will start after we get clearance. There is an allocation and our team is also ready and they will work on NID going abroad."
Asked about giving NID abroad, Election Commissioner Md Rafiqul Islam told Jago News, "It is not suspended or not ongoing. We will begin work. It has not been possible to do the job due to the COVID situation. The next commission may think about this after the COVID situation improves and our team gets permission to work going there. It is necessary to send a team of us abroad to complete the applications made online by the expatriates. If it is seen that the team abroad can accomplish the applications made online, the commission can make a decision. But we, so far, did not get a response to send team. From the places we received online applications, there is a process of approval to start the programe sending team there but it is halted for COVID."
CEC Nurul Huda said, "We have taken an initiative to start NID registration of the expatriates in the digital system. We progressed much but could not complete due to corona. We started it in London, Singapore, Malaysia, Abu Dhabi, and Saudi Arabia but could not continue. It's a difficult task but possible. Around 1 crore people of our country stay abroad. They come to us when we go abroad and say they cannot cast vote. They have no National ID card and NID is needed in all cases, including their property transfer. That is why we took the initiative."
Expatriate Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Imran Ahmed inaugurates NID registration activities of the expatriates in Malaysia on November 5, 2019.
Plan to give NID to expatriates in 40 countries in five years
It was learned after talking to the people concerned that according to the decision taken by the EC to distribute NID abroad, the expatriates in 40 countries would be given the same in five years, eight each year. But there is no progress despite one year elapsed after money allocation.
In this respect, NID wing former director-general (now chairman of Sena Kalyan Sangstha) Major General Mohammad Saidul Islam told Jago News, "A vast number of people of our country stay abroad. They don't get NID because they cannot come home or come on vacation for a short period. It becomes difficult to make NID and other things. It is not possible for them to accomplish their other tasks, including land registration. That is why we thought about how to reach NID in their hands. That is why the initiative was taken. As part of the move, approval was given to begin the activities in 40 countries. Now an effort is on to provide the service gradually both online and offline. Through this, where you live, we will give all kinds of assistance you need to contribute to the country."
Saidul Islam said, "We inaugurated an online portal in three places - Malaysia, Abu Dhabi, and London- and started taking applications. Our target was to implement this in five years in stages. Accordingly, we took a project and there is around Tk 100 crore allotment. We can provide NID services to the expatriates living in these 40 countries."
Difficulties due to not getting approval from Foreign Ministry
The officials concerned blamed the Foreign Ministry for failure to begin NID distribution among the expatriates despite all preparations have been taken. They said they have long been contacting the ministry but to no avail.
About this, IDEA project director Brigadier General Abul Kashem Md Fazlul Kader told Jago News, "We have planned to go to eight countries each year through this project. We will go to a total of 40 countries. But there is a problem. The DG of the Foreign Ministry, who was supposed to approve going abroad, was transferred while accomplishing the task. We gave letter on October 13 and November 17 about going to the countries from where applications come. We are waiting for the Foreign Ministry’s permission. The ministry said why will you (NID wing) go, give us (Foreign Ministry) machine and we do the job, but it cannot be done. If it is done, many foreign countries, including Rohingyas, may be added. In that case, we have a standard that will prevent it. We gave letter, they (Foreign Ministry) doesn't respond to it. Maybe we have to go in person to make it. We are ready to go."
Asked whether a problem creates in these activities due to Foreign Ministry, he said, "We do not get the ministry's approval. We have made progress in doing the tasks with London. We held a meeting with them about where we will go there. We exchanged letters but do not receive Foreign Ministry's nod. When a team will go, they carry machine along with them. If Foreign Ministry does not give approval, Bangladesh has to pay tax to bring back the same. We have been given letters from London several times with urge. Some 2,553 applications we received from different countries. Of these, we solved 700. Documents of others are not correct. Some are seemed fake, we did not give importance to this."
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen.
He said, "We have collected information from Expatriate Welfare and Overseas Ministry, Manpower Employment and Training Bureau, Bangladesh Association of International Recruiting Agency (BAIRA), and Foreign Ministry. Some 1,40,46,534 Bangladeshis stay in these 40 countries without NID. These statistics will increase and decrease. Different countries, including Kuwait, and London, are contacting us. We asked them to give letter to Foreign Ministry beside us. Because we cannot go anywhere without their permission. If we get approval, we will make a portal open for 40 countries and issue a circular."
Asked about this, National Identity (NID) Registration subdivision's Director-General AKM Humayun Kabir told Jago News, "We did not suspend registration activities of the expatriates. We do not get Malaysia's clearance due to corona. Anyone can apply through the website. We verify if anyone applies. But the person has to provide fingerprint and iris."
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen told Jago News, "COVID-19 has been across the globe for two years, that is why these all are halted. If COVID-19 is over and they give visas, then, our men will go. People come to our missions abroad and provide their information, including fingerprint and iris. They are now unable to come due to COVID. Few people come. They only come for visas to return home. Other all activities remain suspended. Standing in line is not allowed there. British, Spanish, and Americans don't allow queuing at any mission. They fixed which the number of people can stand in a row."
Foreign Ministry do not give permission despite letter was given by the Election Commission, about this complaint, he said, "The matter of expatriate voters is the duty of Election Commission. They could not go anywhere else, this programme remains ineffective. They did not give us any letter. Why do they talk based on assumptions? What they gave? To whom they sent letters, I don't know, and did not see."
About this, Ashikun Nabi Chowdhury, press minister of Bangladesh High Commission in London, told Jago News, "Chief Election Commissioner came to London before corona. At that time he said NID activities will be launched here soon. But it has not been possible to run this due to corona. Now London High Commission always maintains communication with the election commission, so that measures can be taken on NID in London and other cities after situation improve."
Countries where expatriates' NID activities will be conducted
Election Commission will conduct activities to issue NID to the expatriates in Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Lebanon, Jordan, Libya, Sudan, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, UK, Italy, Hong Kong, Egypt, Brunei, Mauritius, Iraq, US, Canada, Japan, Australia, Greece, Spain, Germany, South Africa, France, Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, Brazil, China, Indonesia, Maldives, New Zealand, Russia, Turkey, and Cyprus.
It was informed in a letter sent to the Foreign Ministry from the Bangladesh High Commission in Malaysia on February 15, 2018, that around 20 to 25 percent of Bangladeshis out of eight to nine lakh stay in Malaysia have no NID.
Bangladesh mission in Qatar said about four lakh Bangladeshis living there have no NID. Bangladesh Embassy in Egypt said around 8000 expatriates living there have no NID.
Besides, according to the information received from Idea project, 4,49,588 Bangladeshis in Saudi Arabia, 41,552 in South Korea, 10,107 in UK, 55,520 in Italy, 5000 in Hong Kong, 23,084 in Egypt, 74,893 in Brunei, 69,476 in Mauritius, 75,748 in Iraq, 80,000 in US, 60,000 in Japan, 40,000 in Australia, 25,000 in Greece, 80,000 in Spain, 20,000 in Germany, 10,000 in South Africa, 12,000 in France, 7,000 in Netherlands, 6000 in Belgium, 5000 in Switzerland, 25,000 in Brazil, 15,000 in China, 20,000 in Indonesia, 2500 in New Zealand, 6000 in Russia, 5000 in Turkey, and 7000 in Cyprus are without NID, totaling 1,40,46,534 in 40 countries.
This website was launched on November 5, 2019.
Bringing each citizen under a single number after birth recommended
The people concerned have long been demanding issuing NID to the expatriate Bangladeshis, who are one of the driving forces of the country's economy, for getting services.
BRAC Migration Program chief Shariful Hasan told Jago News, "Around all the countries have a culture of making expatriates voters. Whatever they stay at home or outside Bangladesh, they are our citizens. The problem is that the NID programme started in 2007 or 2008 but the expatriates have been going (abroad) since Independence. Many have no NID. Getting it is the right of all. Because they face various crises for not having NID. They suffer problems in different cases, including passport and birth registration."
He said, "Each citizen can be brought under a single number soon after their birth that will be national identity, and bank card number in future. The world has this culture. Everyone has a number. I think it will be a positive initiative if the election commission issue NID to all considering these things. At first, they can be given identity card, then a way can be found out through discussion how they exercise their voting right."
The expatriates' NID programme cannot be started without Foreign Ministry’s permission, in this regard he said, "Giving NID to our citizens is the election commission’s duty. A task should be given to whom who is responsible. However, giving consular service is Foreign Ministry’s task. So, it can be included in this case. They can work in the verification stage. The verification works won't be so difficult. If Foreign Ministry or any other office wants to join the verification activities and assist, that could be."
IHR/SU