National Population Register awaits govt nod, says BBS head

Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) is awaiting permission from the government to implement the National Population Register (NPR), director general Mohammad Tajul Islam said on Thursday.

“We are now waiting for the government’s permission to implement the project. The initiative was taken in 2010 but it subsequently came to a halt. NPR is very significant for the nation,” he told newspersons at a workshop at BBS auditorium in the city, reports news agency UNB.

Tajul also said that he received complaints about land registration using forged NID. “If we could implement NPR properly, the fraudsters won’t be able to take chances.”

Tajul said Japan completed their population census amid the pandemic. “But Bangladesh could not do anything about it,” he added.

Statistics and informatics division secretary Mohammad Yamin Chowdhury said that people must be apprised of all government statistics for the sake of inclusive development.

“We will be able to implement NPR if the prime minister permits us to go ahead with the project. People should be included in development. That’s why NPR is significant,” he added.

Information department’s chief information officer Surath Kumar Sarkar said that modern technology is needed to ensure inclusive development. “And development will succeed only if people are included.”

Bangladesh Betar deputy director general ASM Zahid said, “Bangladesh needs a mobile application for easy access of data. Data is significant for taking proper planning. Media can play a key role here.”