Bangladesh to Establish Separate Civil Registration Commission for NID Services

The government is set to establish an independent Civil Registration Commission, separating the National Identity Registration Wing (NID) from the jurisdiction of the Election Commission (EC). In this regard, the National Identity Registration Act (Repeal) Ordinance, 2025 has received both policy and final approval from Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus.

Following discussions in the Advisory Council meeting, the Cabinet Division has been directed to take the necessary measures. On Monday, March 3, the Cabinet Division held an inter-ministerial meeting to review the draft of the Civil Registration (Commission) Ordinance, 2025. During the meeting, the interim government decided to form a separate commission for birth registration and NID services, based on recommendations from the Reform Commission.

The Cabinet Division emphasized that the drafting of the National Identity Registration Act (Repeal) Ordinance, 2025, is a timely move. However, it has been deemed appropriate to manage NID registration and related activities under a fully independent and autonomous institution, rather than under the Election Commission’s authority.

Following the meeting, the Advisory Council stated that the Cabinet Division's initiative to repeal the National Identity Registration Act, 2025 is necessary. However, it stressed that birth registration, NID issuance, and passport acquisition should be streamlined to eliminate unnecessary complexities and public inconvenience. To achieve this, the Cabinet Division has been advised to refine the proposed ordinance in consultation with the Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs Division, the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Local Government Division, and the EC Secretariat before presenting it at the next Advisory Council meeting.