More Than Half of Expatriates Face NID Suspension
More Than Half of Expatriates Face NID Suspension. A significant number of Bangladeshi expatriates are facing complications regarding their National Identity (NID) registration. In the past nine months, a total of 42,269 expatriate voters have applied for their NIDs through online channels. However, due to investigation-related delays and verification issues, more than half of these applications remain pending.
According to a recent report by the National Identity Registration Division of the Election Commission (EC), various factors contribute to these suspensions. The verification process, embassies’ role, and administrative inefficiencies have led to thousands of expatriates waiting indefinitely for their NIDs.
Current Voter Registration Process for Expatriates
The Election Commission (EC) of Bangladesh is currently registering expatriate voters through Bangladeshi embassies in seven countries, including:
- United Arab Emirates (UAE)
- Italy
- United Kingdom (UK)
- Saudi Arabia
- Qatar
- Kuwait
- Malaysia
Expatriates must apply for their voter registration online, visit their respective embassies for biometric verification, and complete the necessary formalities such as photographs and fingerprint collection.
Statistics on Expatriate Voter Registration
Based on the EC report:
- Total Applications Received: 42,269
- Applications Rejected After Verification: 3,401
- Applications Under Investigation at Upazila Election Offices: 20,184
- Approved Applications: 17,607
- Pending Approval: 457
- Biometric Data Collected at Embassies: 22,128
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) reported the highest number of applications, totaling 18,589, whereas Malaysia had the lowest with only 784 applicants.
Challenges Leading to NID Application Delays
The main reasons for these delays include:
- Strict Verification Processes: Many applicants’ documents are subject to additional scrutiny to ensure authenticity.
- Mismatch of Information: Inconsistencies between submitted data and previous records lead to investigations.
- Limited Embassy Resources: Due to high demand, some embassies struggle to handle the volume of applications efficiently.
- Manual Review at Upazila Level: Local election offices must verify the applications, causing further delays.
What the Election Commission Says
Brigadier General (Retd.) Abul Fazal Md. Sanaullah, a member of the Election Commission (EC), stated:
“There is no exact count of expatriate voters, but based on data from 44 diplomatic missions, we estimate that around 13.2 million Bangladeshi expatriates could be eligible to vote. If we assume around 70-80% are actual voters, then approximately 10 million expatriates are potential voters.”
He further added that while the EC aims to extend voter registration to 40 countries, the feasibility of completing this process before the next election remains uncertain.
Global Expatriate Population and Voter Eligibility
The Election Commission, in collaboration with the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare, Manpower Bureau, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and BAIRA, has identified a large Bangladeshi expatriate population in 40 countries. These include:
- Middle Eastern Countries: Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Lebanon, Jordan, Libya
- Southeast Asia: Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea
- Europe: UK, Italy, Greece, Spain, Germany, France, Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland
- Americas & Others: USA, Canada, Brazil, Australia, Japan, China, Russia, Turkey
With over 14.46 million Bangladeshi expatriates worldwide, Saudi Arabia has the largest community, with 4.49 million Bangladeshis, while New Zealand has the lowest, with only 2,500 expatriates.
Upcoming Voter List Update in Bangladesh
As per the latest update, Bangladesh currently has a total of 123.73 million registered voters. The Election Commission is conducting a nationwide voter list update, and additional several lakh voters are expected to be added by June of this year.
Conclusion
The challenges expatriates face in obtaining NIDs highlight the urgent need for a more efficient registration system. A smoother and faster process would not only help millions of Bangladeshi expatriates participate in elections but also ensure their access to various government services tied to NID verification.
