NETROKONA, Aug 03 (V7N) — A newly introduced live verification system for government social security payments has led to widespread difficulties for beneficiaries in Netrokona, with many elderly and vulnerable recipients reporting delays in accessing their allowances because of technical and connectivity problems.
The digital verification process, introduced to improve transparency and ensure that government funds reach legitimate beneficiaries, requires recipients to complete live facial recognition through a mobile application before withdrawing pensions or social welfare allowances.
The system applies to several government assistance programmes, including old-age allowances, widow and distressed women's allowances, disability benefits and other social protection schemes.
However, field observations in several unions of the district indicate that many beneficiaries have been unable to complete the verification process despite repeated attempts. Some elderly recipients have reportedly visited union parishad offices, the District Accounts Office and authorised banking agents multiple times without resolving the issue.
Beneficiaries said the application frequently fails to recognise their faces because of age-related physical changes, vision problems, inadequate lighting or slight differences between their current appearance and the photograph stored in the national identity database. As a result, some eligible recipients have been temporarily unable to withdraw their benefits.
Local representatives acknowledged that while the technology-driven initiative is intended to strengthen accountability and reduce fraudulent claims, inadequate technical preparation, unreliable internet connectivity and limited on-site support have created significant difficulties for users, particularly in remote rural areas where mobile network coverage remains weak.
District Accounts and Finance Officer Monjurul Kabir said officials provide assistance in special cases.
"If a pension recipient is unable to travel due to illness, our staff visit the beneficiary's home to verify their identity before completing the live verification process in accordance with the prescribed procedures," he said.
Meanwhile, several officials familiar with the process, speaking on condition of anonymity, said they regularly receive requests from influential individuals seeking verification for pension recipients who are not physically present. They also noted that because certain information can be entered manually by authorised officials, technological limitations may leave room for irregularities or fraudulent practices if adequate safeguards are not maintained.
An independent review also found that the contact number listed on the official online portal of the Netrokona District Accounts Office is reportedly incorrect. Observers say inaccurate public information on government websites can prevent citizens from accessing essential services while raising concerns about transparency and public accountability.
Civil society representatives have urged the government to introduce alternative verification options for elderly, ill and persons with disabilities who face difficulties using facial recognition technology. They also recommended upgrading server capacity, addressing software limitations, strengthening technical support at the union level and improving internet connectivity to ensure that eligible beneficiaries can access government assistance without unnecessary delays.
The live verification system was introduced as part of broader efforts to strengthen oversight of Bangladesh's social protection programmes and minimise fraudulent benefit claims. However, local stakeholders say further technical improvements and greater operational flexibility will be needed to ensure the system remains both secure and accessible.
END/ATN/SMA/
