Bangladeshi migrant workers in UAE first to get NIDs

Bangladesh will launch the services in UAE on Monday, helping workers remit funds home through formal channels

Bangladeshi migrant workers in the United Arab Emirates will be the first to get national identity cards as the South Asian nation begins the distribution of the NIDs among remittance earners abroad on Monday.

The NID cards will be formally handed over to the workers on Monday, marking a significant milestone as it is the first time that NID services are being provided to Bangladeshi expatriates abroad, following a three-and-a-half-year effort.

The services will be expanded to Bangladeshi workers in the rest of the Middle East and Europe, Election Commissioner Ahsan Habib Khan said on Saturday.

Many Bangladeshi expatriates cannot send remittances through a legal channel despite their willingness to contribute to the country’s economy because they do not have NIDs. They use illegal channels such as Hundi, he said.

After getting NIDs, they will be able to contribute to increasing the country's reserves and ensure compliance with legal procedures while they can use many other services, such as mobile banking, he said.

Ahsan Habib will head a four-member delegation of the EC Secretariat and the foreign ministry that will inaugurate the distribution in Abu Dhabi, where over 100 citizens will receive their NIDs following registration.

The process began after the Election Commission decided to offer voter registration and national identity cards to Bangladeshi citizens residing in the UAE.

In May, the commission's team conducted necessary work, such as training, equipment installation, network setup, and SMS notifications to local mobile numbers.

In June, a pilot programme was launched through the Bangladesh Embassy in Abu Dhabi and the Bangladesh Consulate in Dubai.