The Government of Bangladesh has reaffirmed its commitment to achieving universal birth and death registration by 2030.

However, experts and journalists have warned that limitations in the existing law and its weak enforcement remain major obstacles to meeting this goal.

These concerns were raised at a two-day workshop titled “Birth and Death Registration in Bangladesh: Progress, Challenges, and Way Forward,” held on November 5–6 at the Bangladesh Medical Association (BMA) Bhaban in Dhaka.

The event was organized by PROGGA (Knowledge for Progress) with support from the Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI) and attended by 30 journalists representing print, television, and online media.

Speakers at the workshop highlighted that only 50 percent of births and 47 percent of deaths in Bangladesh are currently registered — rates significantly below the global averages of 77 percent and 74 percent, respectively.

They emphasized that birth and death registration are essential for ensuring fundamental rights such as access to education, healthcare, inheritance, voting, and social protection.

Participants noted that the absence of registration fuels social vulnerabilities, including child labor, child marriage, and statelessness. “Registration is not just a statistical process; it is the foundation for equitable national planning and good governance,” one discussant observed.

Under the Birth and Death Registration Act, 2004, families are responsible for reporting births and deaths, while healthcare institutions play only an optional role.

However, with around 67 percent of children born in healthcare facilities, experts argued that hospitals must be made legally responsible for registering all births and deaths — a measure already adopted successfully in several Asia-Pacific countries.

They urged the government to amend the 2004 Act to align with international best practices and to accelerate progress toward the Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) Decade targets and Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16.9, which calls for providing legal identity for all by 2030.

Muhammad Ruhul Quddus, Bangladesh Country Lead of GHAI, said, “We are committed to ensuring universal birth and death registration by 2030.

To achieve this, we must reform the law and ensure its effective implementation.”

Md. Nazrul Islam, Country Coordinator of Vital Strategies, emphasized the need to raise public awareness and strengthen administrative systems.

“Awareness about the importance of birth and death registration must increase. We also need to build registrar capacity, improve technology, and enhance intersectoral coordination,” he said.

Other discussants included Md. Moyeen Uddin, Country Coordinator, Vital Strategies; Kawsar Rahman, Chief Reporter, Janakantha; and ABM Zubair, Executive Director of PROGGA. Md. Hasan Shahriar, Head of Programs, and Mashiat Abedin, Coordinator at PROGGA, delivered thematic presentations during the sessions.

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