Birth registration rate in char and remote areas of coastal region is low as most of the people are unaware of its importance due to their extreme poverty and illiteracy.
According to representatives of local bodies at Hatiya in Noakhali, the birth registration rate in char and remote areas of the upazila is very poor.
They said 40 per cent people were registered in the Nijhum Dwip (island) of the district while 20 per cent birth registration took place in Naler Char and Boyar char.
There are nine chars in the Hatiya upazila, most of the people are illiterate. They are living there in extreme poverty. Very few people of the chars know the benefit of birth registration.
Rustam Ali, a rickshaw puller of the upazila, said he had collected his birth registration certificate. But he did not know the necessity of birth registration, Rustam said.
According to the upazila administration, the percentage of birth registration is 60 in the Hatiya upazila.
Local Government Division in association with UNICEF has taken a project of birth and death registration. A law was passed in the Jatiya Sangsad in 2004 considering its importance.
According to the law, birth and death registration is mandatory for all.
Mayor of the city corporation or his nominated officers or councilor, mayor of municipality, administrator or his nominated officials or councilor, concerned union parishad chairman or government officials have the authority to issue birth registration certificates to the people.
Similarly, concerned chiefs of the cantonment boards or his nominated persons, ambassador or his nominated officials also have the authority to provide birth registration certificates for the people of the respective areas.
Use of birth registration certificates is mandatory in some cases including issuance of passports, marriage registration, admission to educational institutions, appointments in government and non-government or autonomous organizations, issuing driving license, enrolment as voter land registration, opening bank account, providing gas, water and electricity connections, issuing trade license and national identity cards.
Rate of child marriage is very high in char and remote areas of the costal region, according to the locals. Child marriage could not be stopped in the country under the existing law due to absence of birth registration certificates.
According to the Birth Registration Act, those who are under the age of 18 years, will get birth registration certificates for free. On the other hand, those above the age of 18 have to pay Tk 50 as fee for birth registration certificate.
According to local body representatives, it is difficult for the poor people who are living in the costal and char areas to give money for birth registration certificates.
So the fee should be withdrawn to make the birth registration programme a success, the representatives said.
The government, they said, should take special initiatives for disadvantaged areas like costal and char areas for ensuring hundred per cent birth registration.
Read the original story on the daily New Age
