The Election Commission (EC) of Bangladesh has terminated its agreement with the Bangladesh Computer Council (BCC) for breaching contractual terms, including sharing National Identity Card (NID) server data with third parties and failing to pay outstanding fees. The EC has disconnected the API connection previously provided to the BCC and requested payment of pending charges within 15 days, along with submission of payment receipts.
ASM Humayun Kabir, Director General of the NID Wing at the EC, stated on Sunday, December 22, that the commission provides NID data verification services to 183 government and private entities, including the BCC. A bilateral agreement was signed between the EC and BCC on October 4, 2022, allowing the BCC to access NID data verification services. The agreement explicitly prohibited the BCC from sharing, exchanging, selling, or transferring NID data to any individual, entity, or organization under any circumstances. However, this condition was violated by the BCC.
The EC sought an explanation from the BCC regarding the breach on September 3, 2023, but the BCC failed to respond. Following a second notice on October 6, the BCC provided a reply within three working days, which the EC deemed unsatisfactory. Furthermore, the BCC did not pay the applicable fees or charges within the stipulated timeframe, which the EC considered grounds for terminating the agreement.
As a result, the EC formally canceled the agreement with the BCC on December 20, 2023, and disconnected the API connection. Speaking on the matter, the Director General of the NID Wing remarked, “The reply provided by the BCC was not satisfactory to the Election Commission. Moreover, the failure to pay the applicable fees and charges as per the agreement made the contract eligible for termination.”
The EC has reiterated its stance that all entities using NID data verification services must strictly adhere to the terms of their agreements and fulfill their financial obligations in a timely manner.
