Staff Reporter :
Those aged 16 or above can apply for and obtain a National Identity Card (NID), said Senior Secretary of the Election Commission (EC) Secretary Akhter Ahmed.
He disclosed this information while briefing journalists in front of his office at the Election Commission building in Agargaon, Dhaka on Tuesday.
EC Secretary Akhter Ahmed said, “A recent decision has been made that those who are 16 years old can register for an NID. This will allow us to keep some advance information.
An NID is required for many purposes. Students who go abroad for studies, those who want to open bank accounts, or for medical treatment and other purposes-NID becomes relevant in many of these cases. But due to incompleteness, they often face difficulties. That’s why, from age 16 and above, they will receive an NID. Anyone who turns 16 will be able to apply for an NID.”
Stating that a General Diary (GD) will no longer be required if an NID is lost, the EC Secretary added, “One thing we all need to know is that earlier, if someone lost their NID card, there was a provision to file a GD. We have now said that a GD will not be needed.”
He said, “People face difficulties. There is a shortage of time and opportunities. Instead, there will now be an opportunity to get a replacement NID card without filing a GD.”
It may be noted that the Election Commission has recently decided that a General Diary will no longer be required if an NID is lost. Previously, one had to file a GD to retrieve a lost NID. To reduce public suffering, the Commission has decided to remove this requirement so that people can receive services more easily and quickly.
According to EC sources, under the crash program for NID corrections, the Election Commission disposed of 907,662 correction applications in the first six months of 2025. During this time, the EC received a total of 984,356 correction applications. Senior Secretary Akhter Ahmed recently claimed that this has reduced public suffering regarding NID corrections.
