Staff Reporter :
The Election Commission (EC) has successfully secured the National Identity (NID) database and resolved the long-standing issue of dual NID cards, restoring access to citizen services for the affected individuals.
Speaking with journalists at the EC office in Agargaon this afternoon, NID Wing Director General ASM Humayun Kabir explained that 586 citizens had been found to possess two NIDs, which had led to the suspension of their access to public services.
“Since they had two NIDs, both were locked, preventing them from accessing any citizen services. We have now retained the first NID and discarded the second. Their original NID cards have been unlocked, and they will now be able to receive all services,” Kabir said.
The issue, identified earlier this month, was resolved within two weeks. Kabir confirmed that, to the Commission’s knowledge, there are currently no remaining cases of dual NIDs.
“If any new cases are found, the same action will be taken in accordance with this policy,” he added.
Highlighting the scale of the NID system, Kabir noted that over 12 crore citizens’ information is currently stored in the EC’s NID database. While acknowledging past instances of data leaks, he assured that the Commission has taken all necessary measures to prevent future breaches.
“Our data centre operates round the clock. Occasionally, we perform maintenance shutdowns-for example, the day before yesterday we conducted a four-hour maintenance operation,” he said.
“The system is now fully secure, and regular monitoring is in place to ensure the integrity of the data,” he added.
Kabir also mentioned that the centre is routinely assessed and updated, and a team from the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) is working in collaboration with the EC to ensure data security.
