The Election Commission (EC) of Bangladesh has found preliminary evidence that five contracted institutions have leaked National Identity (NID) information to third parties. The institutions involved in the breach are the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), UCB Bank’s Upay, Chattogram Port Authority, Department of Women Affairs, and iBAS under the Ministry of Finance.
Senior Secretary of the EC Secretariat, Akhter Ahmed, disclosed this information to journalists on Monday at the Election Commission headquarters. He stated that these institutions have been issued show-cause notices. “We are investigating whether the leak was due to negligence or deliberate actions. If any entity is found to have done this intentionally, it will be considered a punishable offense,” he added.
The Election Commission provides NID-related services and maintains the NID database. Currently, 182 government and private institutions have agreements with the EC, allowing them to verify NID information. Earlier in the day, the EC held a discussion with institutions that use NID verification services, and further consultations are expected to continue.
Following the meeting, Akhter Ahmed told reporters, “It has come to our attention that some entities authorized to verify NID information are, without EC’s knowledge, sharing data with unauthorized individuals or organizations. This is unacceptable. We are working to strengthen regulations and improve management so that each entity accesses only the specific information they require.”
In response to a question, the EC Secretary confirmed that they have so far identified five institutions responsible for the data breach. “We have asked these institutions to explain how the breach occurred. Since data leaks or unauthorized transfers involve technical aspects, further verification and scrutiny will be conducted,” he stated.
