UNB, Dhaka :
Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) is awaiting permission from the government to implement the National Population Register (NPR), Director General Mohammad Tajul Islam said on Thursday.
“We are now waiting for the government’s permission to implement the project. The initiative was taken in 2010 but it subsequently came to a halt. NPR is very significant for the nation,” he told reporters at a workshop at BBS auditorium in the city.
Tajul also said that he received complaints about land registration using forged NID. “If we could implement NPR properly, then cheaters won’t be able to take chances.”
Tajul said Japan completed their population census amid the Covid pandemic. “But Bangladesh could not do anything about it,” he added.
On his part, Secretary of Statistics & Informatics Division Mohammad Yamin Chowdhury said that people must be apprised of all government statistics for the sake of inclusive development.
“We will be able to implement NPR if the Prime Minister permits us to go ahead with the project. People should be included in development. So NPR is significant,” he added.
Chief information officer of the Information Department Surath Kumar Sarkar said that modern technology is needed to ensure inclusive development. “And development will succeed only if people are included.”
Deputy Director General of Bangladesh Betar A S M Zahid said, “Bangladesh needs a mobile application for easy access of data. Data is significant for taking proper planning. Media can play a key
role here.”
