At the 20th ward council office of Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC), a large number of people gather daily to apply for or correct birth certificates. However, since August 5, the absence of a councilor has changed the procedure, and officials at the council office seem unconcerned. While online birth registration applications should be handled by them, residents are frustrated by the lack of service.

Many complain that despite paying money to an office staff member, they still haven’t received their birth certificates. One affected individual shared with Somoy Sangbad their week-long ordeal in obtaining the document.

Seeking answers, a visit to Nagar Bhaban revealed that birth certificates are supposed to be issued within three days. However, service seekers report a different reality—going from office to office without success while being subjected to various forms of harassment, including demands for bribes at every step.

When asked about these issues, DSCC’s executive officer Zillur Rahman, through the public relations officer, cited his busy schedule and shifted responsibility to regional officials. Meanwhile, the Regional-1 officer claimed he had never received complaints about bribery and suggested that responsibility lay with secretaries and assistants at ward offices.

The situation in Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) is no different. At the Mirpur-10 zone office, allegations persist that officials demand several thousand takas to process birth registrations, further adding to the misery of residents seeking this essential document.