The government of Bangladesh has introduced a proposal to provide every citizen with a lifelong, integrated digital identity starting at birth. This initiative aims to establish a comprehensive framework that will ultimately encompass healthcare, education, national identity cards and passports within a single digital system.
Bangladesh is poised [1] to implement a single lifelong digital ID card for all citizens including newborns, as part of an initiative to replace the existing fragmented identification system. This change aims to simplify access to government services by eliminating the need for individuals to repeatedly provide the same personal information. The proposed Unified Digital Identity, [2] known as One-ID, is intended to be utilized across various services, including healthcare, education, welfare programmes, and digital transactions, as reported by Prothom Alo.
Under this initiative, each citizen will be assigned a unique and permanent identity from birth that will remain with them for their entire life. This effort represents a significant transformation of Bangladesh’s current identification framework, which relies on multiple documents and identification numbers for different purposes. Currently, children are issued birth registration certificates, while National Identity Cards are typically provided upon reaching the age of 18. Passports, driving licenses, and Taxpayer Identification Numbers are managed through separate systems.
In September 2026, the government [3] announced a plan to establish an integrated digital state by implementing a One Citizen-One ID-One Digital Wallet system. This system will allow citizens to access a variety of public and private services through a unified digital identity. This initiative is a component of the government's larger strategy to enhance the ICT and telecommunications sector, positioning it as a significant contributor to the economy, with the aim of increasing its share of the country's GDP to 10% within the next 5 years. The government has also committed to providing various types of cards, including Family Cards, Health Cards, Probashi Cards, and Farmer Cards.
[4] The Family Card initiative will require an investment of Tk 19.06 billion for the production and data collection associated with the cards. The Farmer Card initiative will necessitate a budget of Tk 6.81 billion. The financial requirements for the Probashi Card and Health Card programmes have yet to be established. Farzana Sharmin who [5] is the Minister for Social Welfare, also announced that the government [6] has established a goal to include 1.61 crore families in its family card programme by 2030.
However, the government is experiencing financial limitations. There is significant pressure for increased expenditure across multiple sectors, while revenue collection remains low. In this context, concerns have been raised regarding the feasibility of initiating a project with an estimated cost of nearly Tk 100 billion. Conversely, some stakeholders argue that the project is planned for implementation over 5 years, suggesting that the financial constraints facing the country may not persist indefinitely.
The National Identity Card serves as the primary identification [7] document for Bangladeshi citizens, enabling access to various essential services on a daily basis. However, the country’s identity landscape continues to be fragmented. Citizens must rely on various registries and navigate separate identity services to obtain documents such as birth certificates, national identification cards, and passports, which frequently operate independently of one another. As the government increases the scope of digital public services and social protection programs, the shortcomings of this fragmented approach have become clear.
The National Identity Registration Authority Ordinance, enacted by the caretaker government in 2008, stipulates [8] that voter cards issued by the Electoral Commission would serve as National Identification cards. These cards are necessary for accessing 22 services, including the issuance and renewal of passports, driving licenses, trade licenses, as well as for opening bank accounts and registering mobile phones. This ordinance was subsequently transformed into the National Identity Registration Act in 2010.
In April 2011, the Identification System for Enhancing Access to Services project [9] was launched with the support of the World Bank, with the objective of issuing smart National Identification cards to replace the existing paper-laminated cards. The IDEA project has connected the central NID database with both public and private service providers to facilitate automation and enhance the security of electronic Know Your Customer or e-KYC and identity authentication processes.