Authors : S. M. Ariful Islam

Volume/Issue : Volume 11 - 2026, Issue 4 - April

Google Scholar : https://tinyurl.com/bw5uje35

Scribd : https://tinyurl.com/42c9778p

DOI : https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/26apr2309

Note : A published paper may take 4-5 working days from the publication date to appear in PlumX Metrics, Semantic Scholar, and ResearchGate.

Abstract : Reliable statistics on vital events are foundational for designing public service networks, driving economic development, and protecting civil rights. While Bangladesh has achieved an official birth registration rate of 83.7%, a critical gap exists: only 3.3% of births are registered within the legally mandated 45-day window. Currently, most parents delay registration until the child reaches school age (six years), resulting in a lack of timely data for policy formulation and the proliferation of duplicate records. The proposed Digital Birth Registration (DBR) blueprint addresses these challenges by transitioning from a reactive "declaration-based" model to a proactive "notification-based" system. This strategy leverages Bangladesh’s extensive health infrastructure, specifically its network of over 75,000 health and family planning workers (such as FWAs and Health Assistants) and over 13,500 community clinics. By equipping these workers with mobile devices, birth notifications can be generated immediately at the household level or within health facilities. Central to this technical solution is system interoperability. The DBR model integrates the Birth Registration Information System (BRIS) with the National ID (NID) database and health systems (like DHIS-2) via an Enterprise Architecture Bus. This allows for real-time validation of parent identities using NID numbers, which significantly reduces the opportunity for duplicate entries and clerical errors. Furthermore, the system incorporates SMS notifications to inform parents of their application status and registration ID, eliminating the need for multiple, costly physical visits to government offices. By bridging registration gaps through mobile technology and cross-ministerial data sharing, the DBR system ensures all children become "visible" within 45 days, fostering a robust and inclusive CRVS framework.

References :

1. United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs Statistics Division. (2014) Principles and Recommendations for a Vital Statistics System. [Online]. http://unstats.un.org/unsd/Demographic/standmeth/principles/M19Rev3en.pdf
2. Source: http://www.emro.who.int/civil-registration-statistics/about/what-are-civil-registration-and-vital-statisticscrvs-systems.htm
3. Website of Plan International: https://plan-international.org/birth-registration
4. Description of areas of assessment in Plan Methodology can be found in Annex A
5. Icdt4dprinciples. Principles for Digital Development. (2015). [Online]. http://ict4dprinciples.org/
6. Annex B: List of consulted stakeholders
7. Annex C: Sample Questionnaires used in semi-structured interview
8. Full list of community representatives is available at Annex IV
9. http://getinthepicture.org/asia-pacific-crvs-decade-2015-2024
10. http://getinthepicture.org/blog/not-just-about-stats-crvs-ensures-legal-identity-services-and-rights-each-human-being
11. Household survey finding
12. http://getinthepicture.org/ministerial-declaration
13. http://www.a2i.pmo.gov.bd/digital-bangladesh
14. UN Data, http://data.un.org/CountryProfile.aspx?crName=Bangladesh
15. http://getinthepicture.org/regional-action-framework
16. United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2012 Revision
17. The reported level of divorce registration by the respondents of the HH survey.
18. Department of Economic and Social Affairs Statistics Division. (2014) Principles and Recommendations for a Vital
19. Guardianship and Wards Amendments Ordinance 1982
20. UNICEF country report can be cited at http://www.unicef.org/bangladesh/cbg_(18.10.08).pdf
21. United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2012 Revision
22. Household survey finding
23. Death registration rate for the last instance in the households, but it is not evidence-base information because, in most of the cases, respondent could not show the death certificate to the enumerator.
24. Data from BRIS system.