A group of brokers has been trapping people by offering services to correct National Identity (NID) cards through flashy advertisements, pages, and groups on social media platforms like Facebook. Previously, the Election Commission (EC) identified these groups, pages, and profiles and had them shut down via the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC). However, no legal actions were taken against the individuals involved. Now, the EC plans to take legal measures.
EC officials noted that while closing these pages and profiles temporarily disrupts their activities, they quickly reappear under new names, rendering the efforts ineffective. Therefore, the EC is now considering filing lawsuits against these brokers. Additionally, many brokers are physically present around the Election Commission office, and the EC has decided to apprehend them with the help of the police.
A deputy director from the NID section stated, “Our personnel are on alert to catch these brokers. They will not be spared.”
In this regard, EC Secretary Shafiul Azim has already issued a written directive to field officials. The directive emphasizes that all offices should be treated as service centers, prioritizing the registration of new voters, correction of NID cards, and voter transfers for both local residents and expatriates. It further stressed the importance of ensuring that service seekers are not harassed and that brokers are not given any opportunities. The controlling authorities of each office must closely monitor operations to ensure accountability, achieve customer satisfaction, and deliver corruption-free services.
In related news, NID services are expected to become more streamlined for citizens outside of Chattogram. The process will now take less time, as the fingerprints of new voters from other regions will no longer be cross-checked with the Rohingya database. Previously, fingerprints were checked against a database of 1 million Rohingyas, causing delays. This verification will now only be applicable to new voters in the Chattogram region.
