HC issues rule on thalassemia info in NID

The High Court on Sunday issued a rule asking the government to explain as to why the authorities concerned should not be directed to add information about thalassemia to the national identity (NID) card.

A High Court bench of Justice Md Mozibur Rahman Miah and Justice Kazi Md Ejarul Haque Akondo issued the rule after hearing a writ petition.

Advocate Eunus Ali Akond stood for the writ petitioner while deputy attorney general Arbind Kumar represented the state.

Secretaries to the cabinet, health, law, home ministries, Election Commission, director general of the Directorate General of Health Services, Bangladesh Medical and Dental Council have been made respondents to the rule.

The HC also issued a rule asking the government to explain as to why the authorities concerned should not be directed to enact a policy for inserting information about thalassemia in the NID card of a person.

Eunus Ali Akond filed a writ petition seeking insertion of thalassemia information in the NID card on May 31.

On May 25, a legal notice was served in this regard.

According to the petition, if any thalassemia patient marries a person carrying thalassemia disease then there is a risk of their children getting affected. But if a thalassemia-free person is married to a patient of thalassemia, in that case, their children will be free from the risk of thalassemia.

They wanted an option at the NID card to insert information about thalassemia to clarify whether the card holder has been infected with the disease or not to prevent marriage of two thalassemia patients.