Mandatory registration at hospitals and special allowance for street children were recommended by Caritas on Wednesday at a press briefing.
Caritas Bangladesh, a foreign NGO, stressed the need for such birth registration system immediately after childbirth at hospitals and community clinics, along with a special conditional allowance for street children and children from extremely poor families.
The press briefing was held at the Dhaka Reporters Unity.
Speakers said many street children in Bangladesh remain outside government protection systems due to the lack of birth certificates and proper family support, warning that without urgent action, these children would continue to face barriers to education, healthcare and social services.
Reading out a written statement, Caritas Director Theophil Nokrek said a survey conducted by Caritas Bangladesh found that 58.2 per cent of street children do not have birth registration certificates. Among those without birth certificates, 71.4pc do not know their parents' national ID numbers, making registration difficult under the current system.
He said birth registration is essential for accessing schools, healthcare, government benefits and other citizenship rights. However, despite the legal requirement to complete birth registration within 45 days of birth, most children in Bangladesh still do not receive it on time.
According to the Office of the Registrar General, Birth and Death Registration, more than 8.3 million births were registered in 2024, but only 9pc were completed within 45 days after birth.
To address the problem, Caritas Bangladesh called for direct birth registration services at hospitals, community clinics and health centres immediately after childbirth. The organisation also demanded special mobile and ward-based campaigns to ensure birth registration for street and underprivileged children.
The organisation further proposed introducing a "conditional child allowance" for street children and children from ultra-poor families. Under the proposed system, families would receive financial support on condition that children attend school, stay away from child labour and receive regular health check-ups.
Speakers said the current social safety allowance of Tk 500 to Tk 650 per month is insufficient to support vulnerable children in the current economic situation.
They also said poverty, family violence, river erosion, climate change and social inequality are forcing many children onto the streets, where they face hunger, exploitation, violence and health risks.
In-Charge, social wlfare-Caritas, Chandra Moni Chakma said protecting street children requires coordinated efforts from the government, NGOs and society. "No child is born neglected. Social and state failures push children onto the streets," he said.
