Plea for a national identity card
Bangladesh could avoid many of her problems if she could introduce a national identity card for each and every citizen. In many western countries this identity card is a must and it is also used almost as a passport. In Sweden an identity card (issued mostly by banks, post office etc.) is more dependable than the national passport. A Swedish driver's licence, however, is the most important of all the identity cards. There is also a national identity number without which a person is non-existent in Sweden. The national identity number helps authority and other organisations to identify a person and using this number all business and social deals are executed. For example, when one visits the hospital or the health care centre the first question the clerk asks: "What is your identity number?"
The identity number could help the country to find out the exact number of people the country has and where they live. Carrying this identity number should be also obligatory so that any suspicious person can be challenged and fond out what he or she is.
The objective of this suggestion is not to propose for Bangladesh to turn into a police state but to get her organised without which there cannot be any law and order and no social or economic progress in a congenial way.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. Introducing an identity card should not be costly considering the benefit it offers. Within a month this job can be done with nationwide drive.