ACC raids 13 election offices over NID irregularities
NN Online:
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on Tuesday carried out simultaneous enforcement drives at 13 district election offices across the country in response to growing complaints of bribery, harassment, and irregularities in the issuance and correction of National Identity Cards (NID).
The ACC’s Enforcement Unit launched the operations following reports that service seekers were being subjected to unethical demands, mistreatment by officials, and exploitation by intermediaries.
Initial findings from the drives revealed evidence supporting the allegations of corruption and misconduct.
In Rangpur, the ACC investigated complaints of bribery and non-cooperation by election office staff. Service recipients alleged they faced harassment when submitting attested NID copies for passport applications. The ACC advised the office to take corrective steps.
In Rajshahi, ACC officials discovered that although the official NID verification fee of Tk 230 is meant to be paid online, some staff members were collecting cash payments without issuing receipts.
In Kurigram, complaints surfaced that NID applications submitted as early as 2022 were rejected without explanation in 2025. Several applicants, including women, reported years-long delays in receiving services.
In Mymensingh, the ACC recorded testimonies from both service seekers and election office staff regarding corruption and harassment claims.
In Pabna, the commission found unusual delays in processing online applications. The local office was advised to streamline the system for timely service delivery.
In Naogaon, an ACC team visited the office in plain clothes, observed service delivery firsthand, and gathered feedback from citizens.
In Dinajpur, the team reviewed pending applications for NID corrections under categories ‘Ka’, ‘Kha’, and ‘Ga’, resolving several issues on the spot in coordination with applicants.
In Barishal, citizens reported frequent server failures during fingerprint submission. The ACC recommended urgent technical upgrades by relevant authorities to prevent further disruption.
Similar drives were also conducted in Bogura, Jamalpur, Patuakhali, Thakurgaon, and Pirojpur, where immediate action was taken to address service-related complaints.
Each district enforcement team has been instructed to submit a detailed report to ACC headquarters. Based on these findings, the commission will initiate necessary legal and administrative measures to ensure accountability and improved service delivery.