The Election Commission (EC) has announced that Bangladeshi citizens aged 16 and 17 can now apply for National Identity (NID) cards. Under this new directive, eligible teenagers will receive their NID cards immediately, and their names will be automatically added to the voter list once they turn 18.
The National Identity Registration Division of the EC Secretariat issued a circular regarding this decision on Sunday (February 22).
The move follows Section 5 of the National Identity Registration Act, 2010 (amended in 2013). According to the circular, any citizen who has completed 16 years of age is now eligible to begin the registration process.
Khan Abi Shahanur Khan, Director (Registration and Expatriates) of the NID Division, signed the order and directed all regional, district, and upazila election officers to implement the instruction immediately. This initiative aims to provide younger citizens with legal identification for academic and administrative purposes before they reach voting age.
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