reality, swore their allegiance to Bangladesh and merged with the mainstream
society and polity.
-5About 300,000 Urdu-speaking people are now living in Bangladesh. Of
them, 160,000 live in 116 camps set up by International Committee of Red Cross
(ICRC) at different parts of the country. Many of them were born after 1971 or were
minor in that year.
The Election Commission did not face any problem with regard to Urduspeaking people living all over the country outside the ICRC camps. They are
citizens of Bangladesh and have been enlisted in the electoral rolls by following the
criteria set for the purpose. But the election commission was facing difficulties to
register the Urdu-speaking people living inside the camps as voters due to
complications relations to the citizenship of Bangladesh.
The residents of the ICRC camps may be broadly divided into two
categories:
(i) those who swore their allegiance to Pakistan and had in writing expressed their
desire to take up residence in that country ; and
(ii) those who were of minor age at the time of liberation of Bangladesh and were not
mature enough to express any preference as to their citizenship even if their
parent had opted for Pakistan and those who were born in Bangladesh after 16th
December , 1972 (the year might be wrongly quoted in place of 1971)
He also referred to the judgment and order of the aforesaid Writ Petition No.
3831 of 2001. He solicited an urgent decision in the matter of citizenship of the
people. .He reasoned that after introduction of National Identity Card as a condition
for delivery of a number of services, these people may lose access to many services
they currently enjoy. Even renewal of a rickshaw license would require presentation
of an ID card and no ID card will be issued to a person who is not a citizen of
Bangladesh.
Lastly, it is also stated that the Commission has considered the matter and it was
of the view that the time has come to look at the issue objectively and with
compassion. The case of the Urdu-speaking people needs to be separated from
“stranded Pakistanis” and a decision on their citizenship may be taken expeditiously.
It also desired the Chief Advisor may consider holding an inter-ministerial meeting
with all relevant government agencies with the participation of Election Commission.
We wanted to hear the Attorney - General upon urgent issue of immense public
importance and the communication of the Election Commission but he preferred not
to appear. Mr. Deputy Attorney - General who appeared ultimately told us that
nothing happen upon such requisition of the Election Commission.