According to the Birth and Death Registration Act, "the son, daughter, guardian, or designated person of the deceased is obligated to provide death-related information to the registrar within 45 days of the death."
However, statistics indicate that at least 30 percent of the deceased's families do not register deaths in the country. Experts say that having this certificate is important for the heirs of the deceased and the state. Without a death certificate, various legal complications can arise. Many legal proceedings may face delays, and sometimes, it becomes impossible to prove crimes. Complications also arise in the distribution of assets.
Abhijit Biswas's father, Gopal Biswas (95), passed away about a year ago in the Shovna Union of Dumuria Upazila in Khulna. At that time, he did not inform the relevant union council. A year later, when he needed to sell land, he learned that there was a requirement to have a death certificate for his father.
Like Abhijit Biswas, Mohammad Nazrul Islam, a resident of West Mohipur village in Lakshmitari Union of Gangachara Upazila in Rangpur, was unaware of the necessity for a death certificate. His mother, Fazila Begum, and father, Khatib Uddin, passed away in 2016 and 2022, respectively. Since he had not needed it until now, he also did not collect the death certificates.
Uttam Biswas, the secretary of Shovna Union in Dumuria, told Bonik Barta, “Citizens are not at all accustomed to obtaining death registration like they are with birth registration. They do not see it as a necessity. Additionally, many deceased individuals do not have birth registrations, which causes their families to face difficulties in obtaining death certificates. For these reasons, people are less interested in acquiring death certificates.”
According to the latest data released by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) in 2023, the country's population is 170 million and 710 thousand. Meanwhile, approximately 10 lakh 41 thousand 331 deaths occur each year in proportion to the population.
Information from the Office of the Registrar General of the Ministry of Local Government regarding birth and death registration indicates that in 2023, 7 lakh 30 thousand 936 deaths, or at least 70 percent of the deceased, were registered. As a result, 3 lakh 10 thousand 395 individuals, or nearly 30 percent, remain unregistered after death.
In this regard, Professor Mohammad Mainul Islam from the Department of Population Sciences at Dhaka University told Bonik Barta, “The government is taking various initiatives for birth registration. From enrolling children in school to many urgent matters, birth registration has been made mandatory. However, even after these measures, we have not been fully successful in achieving complete birth registration. On the other hand, there has been little government promotion regarding death registration, and there are no initiatives to raise awareness.”
He added, “After a person passes away, if there are no heirs or the individual is not wealthy, it is difficult to find someone interested in obtaining a death certificate. Often, families do not pursue this due to a lack of awareness. Therefore, the government must pay more attention to this issue and raise public awareness. Related departments must take a more proactive role.”
According to the country’s laws and regulations, death registration is required when a person dies, and their heirs divide the immovable and movable property. A death certificate is also necessary for claiming any funds held in banks or life insurance. When transferring land, houses, cars, businesses, or company ownership, the death certificate must be submitted to the local registry and land offices to record the property in the heir's name. If the deceased was an employee and is retired, a death registration certificate is required to claim pension and other benefits.
Applications for obtaining a death registration certificate can be made directly at all city corporations, municipalities, union councils, and registrar offices. Death registration can also be done at the Bangladesh embassy while staying abroad. There is also the option to apply online. There is no fee if registration is completed within 45 days of death. After that, a fee of BDT 25 is applicable for up to five years and BDT 50 after that.
Professor Mainul Islam believes that it is not only important for the individual or their heirs but also crucial for the state to properly register the birth and death of every citizen. He states, “If birth and death data are registered accurately, it will reduce document-related crimes. The state will have immediate access to accurate population data, allowing daily updates on the number of people. This will enable the country to know how many women and men there are, as well as the specific causes of death, which age groups have higher mortality rates, and so on.”
He added, “Population-related data is essential for all kinds of planning, whether in education or healthcare. Without accurate information, planning becomes an estimate—how many people you are planning for and how much funding is required become uncertain.”
The country's census is conducted every ten years, but many people pass away during this time. Consequently, without regular death registration throughout the year, there is a risk of inaccuracies in understanding population dynamics. The absence of death registration also raises the risk of voter fraud and potential abuses of various government benefits. Legal complexities can also arise.
In this regard, Enamul Haque, a Supreme Court lawyer, told Bonik Barta, “Without a death certificate, various legal complications can arise. Many legal proceedings may face delays, and sometimes, it becomes nearly impossible to prove certain crimes. Complications also occur in the distribution of assets. Moreover, registration is necessary to accurately determine the cause of death and to know where the deceased's grave is located. I believe it would be best to register based on the burial documents of the deceased.”