6.
Implementation of the decision was swift. 13 The Election Commission issued
National Identity Cards to any member of the Urdu-speaking community who applied for
one and who met the legal and administrative requirements. 14 It should be noted that this
was also the first time that other non-Urdu-speaking Bangladeshi nationals were issued
with National Identity Cards. Those in possession of a National Identity Card were
subsequently allowed to vote during the national elections which took place in December
2008.
7.
In addition to enabling voting, the National Identity Card provides citizens with
rights and access to a range of services, including:
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issuance and renewal of passport, driving license, trade license, and tax and
business identification number;
opening bank accounts;
beneficiary owner’s account with stock exchanges;
utilities (e.g. gas, water, electricity, telephone, mobile, internet, and cable
television);
registration for examinations;
any public services;
marriage registration;
loans;
Government-subsidized accommodations;
allowance and relief;
owning land and motor vehicles;
admission to State schools; and
undertaking procedures before courts. 15
8.
It is estimated that around 80 percent of eligible Urdu-speaking voters obtained
National Identity Cards. A number of eligible Urdu-speakers have allegedly chosen not to
register as voters, fearing that it would undermine their long-standing call to be
“repatriated” to Pakistan and/or that they would, consequently, lose other benefits in
Bangladesh. 16
13
14
15
16
See Shakhawat Liton, EC moves to make voters 1.6 lakh Urdu speakers, Daily Star, 24 July 2008,
available at http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=47169. According to some sources,
approximately 80 percent of all adult Urdu speakers, or 184,000 persons, were subsequently
registered; see United States Department of State, 2008 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices –
Bangladesh, 25 February 2009, available at http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/docid/49a8f1a8b5.html.
See, for instance, Zaheria Shirazi, Urdu-speaking camp dwellers are moving out of the limbo, New
Age, 11 January 2009, available at http://www.newagebd.com/2009/jan/11/edit.html; Julfikar Ali
Manik, Biharis embark on new era, Daily Star, 30 December 2008, available at
http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=69286.
Research for Development, Rights of the Camp-dwelling “Bihari” Community in Bangladesh, 17
January 2008, available at http://www.research4development.info/caseStudies.asp?ArticleID=50180.
See, for instance, Mukhlesur Rahman, More Biharis want to enrol as voters, Daily Star, 17 January
2009, available at http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=71702. See also Daily Star, Stranded
Urdu-speaking people divided over accepting Bangladeshi citizenship, 27 May 2008, as cited in
4