Veiled women seek fingerprint biometrics as alternative to photo ID

Members of a women’s organization called 'Pardanshin Nari Samaj' have formed separate human chains in Bogra and Chapainawabganj districts demanding biometrics be a replacement for photos on national ID documents.

A human chain was formed in Satmatha area of ​​Bogura city on Wednesday (January 29) at 11:30am, alleging that veiled women have been deprived of citizenship for 16 years.

At a brief rally, speakers said that constitutionally, the state religion of Bangladesh is Islam. Even then, if any woman wears a full veil in this country, she have to face discrimination.

Later, they presented three demands. The demands are that for the last 16 years, Election Commission (EC) officials, who have deprived women of their human rights by withholding citizenship, should be brought to justice. Veiled women should be given the right to national identity cards and education while maintaining their religious and personal security. In all cases, the old method of matching faces and photos for identity verification should be abolished and the modern fingerprint verification method should be made mandatory. In addition, presence of a woman assistant should be made mandatory for veiled women when taking their fingerprints.

On behalf of the participants in the human chain, a woman named Walida Khatun presented their demands to journalists in written form.

Meanwhile, another human chain was formed in front of the Chapainawabganj District Election Office with the same demand.

Ahmed Nurjahan Moti, the organizer of the society, said in the human chain that veiled women have been deprived of citizenship for 16 years. We want citizenship through fingerprints, not photos.

Later, the organization submitted a memorandum to the Chapainawabganj District Election Officer.