The Election Commission is expanding its smartcard distribution to the district level.
Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda will inaugurate the distribution work in the Sadar Upazilas via a videoconference from the Election Bhaban in Agargaon on Friday.
Voters will get smartcards in districts, more than a year after distribution began in Dhaka.
Helaluddin Ahmed said. “Distribution is currently ongoing in 10 city corporations,” Election Commission Secretary Helaluddin.
The National Identity Registration Wing has sent smartcards to 27 Sadar Upazilas.
The necessary fingerprint equipment, scanners and iris machines have been put in place at the local election offices for the distribution process.
“On Friday the CEC will officially inaugurate distribution at 27 Sadar Upazilas through a videoconference,” NID Wing Junior Consultant Communication Officer Ashiqur Rahman. “The Upazilas have been selected for the first phase considering the overall condition of the facilities.”
The distribution will be handled by the district administration and election officials.
>>Faridpur region: Gopalganj’s Tungipara and Shariatpur Sadar
>>Chittagong region: Bandarban Sadar, Khagrachhari Sadar, Cox’s Bazar Sadar and Rangamati Sadar
>>Barisal region: Pirojpur Sadar, Patuakhali Sadar, Jhalakathi Sadar and Borguna Sadar
>>Khulna region: Meherpur Sadar, Bagerhat Sadar, Narail Sadar
>>Sylhet region: Habiganj Sadar and Sunamganj Sadar
>>Rajshahi region: Bogra Sadar, Joypurhat Sadar and Pabna Sadar
>>Mymensingh region: Netrokona Sadar
>>Rangpur region: Kurigram Sadar, Lalmonirhat Sadar, Panchagarh Sadar, Gaibandha Sadar, Nilphamari Sadar, Dinajpur Sadar and Thakurgaon Sadar
>>Comilla region: Noakhali Sadar
Initially, the EC had considered not starting the distribution in the Gaibandha Sadar, Nilphamari Sadar, Nilphamari Sadar, Dinajpur Sadar and Thakurgaon Sadar regions due to the upcoming Rangpur polls, but it decided to go ahead when no problems arose, Ashiqur Rahman said.
The smartcard distribution initially began in the two Dhaka divisions and in Kurigram’s defunct enclaves before serially expanding to the Chittagong, Rajshahi, Khulna, Barisal, Sylhet, Rangpur, Comilla, Narayanganj and Gazipur city corporations, as per report on bdnews24.com.
Currently Bangladesh has 101.8 million voters on its list. The number will rise to 104.6 million after new voters are added and dead voters are purged from the lists for the upcoming eleventh parliamentary elections.
The EC plans to expand distribution to the remaining districts in February so all voters can have their cards for the upcoming election, said EC NID Wing Director General Brig Gen Mohammad Saidul Islam.
