The Election Commission (EC) is considering making the renewal of National Identity Cards (NIDs) mandatory. Under the proposal, citizens may be required to renew their NIDs once they reach the 15-year validity period.
Although the current law allows NID renewal, it is not mandatory. However, according to relevant sources, the EC is working on implementing mandatory renewal to ensure that citizens' identity information remains up to date.
EC officials say that over a span of 15 years, a person's appearance, fingerprints, and other biometric features may change. In some cases, individuals undergo gender reassignment surgery or experience other changes that can complicate identity verification. Considering these factors, the Commission believes NID information should be updated periodically.
According to Section 7(1) of the National Identity Registration Act, 2010, an NID remains valid for 15 years from the date of issuance. Section 2 of the Act states that every citizen must apply to the Commission for renewal before or after the card expires, following the prescribed procedure and payment of the applicable fee.
Meanwhile, Rule 5 of the National Identity Card Rules states that every citizen—or, where applicable, their legal guardian—must apply for renewal using Form 5, either in person or online through the Commission's website.
For in-person applications, applicants must pay the prescribed fee and attach the payment receipt to the application, which should be submitted as either "urgent" or "general." For online applications, a scanned copy of the payment receipt must be uploaded electronically with the application, also categorized as either urgent or general.
Urgent applications must be submitted directly to the Commission, while general applications are to be filed with the local office. Upon receiving an application, the designated official will sign and return Part A of the application form to the applicant or their legal guardian. For online applications, Part A will be sent to the applicant or guardian via their registered mobile number or email address.
Under the current rules, general applications must be processed within 30 days, while urgent applications should be completed within 7 days. The renewal fee is Tk 100 for a general application and Tk 150 for an urgent application.
At present, many people apply for a new NID card if their existing one is lost, damaged, or worn out. However, replacement fees are higher than renewal fees. For the first replacement, the fee is Tk 200 for a general application and Tk 300 for an urgent one. For the second replacement, the fees increase to Tk 300 and Tk 500, respectively. For each subsequent replacement, the fee is Tk 500 for general applications and Tk 1,000 for urgent applications.
EC Secretary Akhtar Ahmed said that the process of implementing NID renewal is currently underway. At present, any citizen who needs to renew their NID or obtain a new card may do so by submitting an application.
Meanwhile, A.H.M. Anwar Pasha, Director General of the National Identity Registration Wing, said that the proposal to make NID renewal mandatory is still under review. A final decision will be made after considering all relevant aspects.