What smart card means

Bangladesh on Monday touched a new technological milestone with the distribution of machine-readable national identity (NID) cards among the citizens.

Already, distribution of smart cards has kicked off in two city corporations in Dhaka and at a enclave in Kurigram.

Smart card services

According to a BSS report, the microchips in smart cards will contain all information of a citizen.

The card holders will get 22 types of services, including banking, taxpayers identification number (TIN), driving license and passport.

Most salient features

The BSS report also said as many as 25 international certifications and standards have been ensured in order to maintain security of the smart cards.

Twenty security characteristics have been added to three tiers, while international standard and reliability of the smart NID cards have been ensured.

Five-tier 100 percent polycarbonate elements have been used and it would sustain at least 10 years.

The personal information has been shown through laser engraving which is not possible in general printers, and transparent hologram has been incorporated in it for more security.

All information of a person exist in the added chip, and biometrics and photos have been preserved in electronic format.

Running of different apps would be possible through this chip.

A 10-digit random generated unique number has been introduced and chip, 2D barcode and machine readable zone (MRZ) has been kept for using information.

Data has been developed as per the compliance of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) which is internationally acceptable.

Currently, the number of voters in the country is nearly 100 million, according to a Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) report.

Eight years ago, a total of 81,058,000 citizens recieved laminated NID cards for the first time.

The election commission (EC) officials said though the smart NID cards would be given free of cost, the cardholder will have to pay a fixed amount of money if he or she goes to collect a new one after losing it twice.