The Election Commission (EC) has found evidence that five organizations leaked National ID (NID) data to third parties, violating service agreements. In response, the EC has issued show-cause notices to these institutions, demanding explanations.
EC Secretary Akhtar Ahmed confirmed the discovery on Monday after a meeting with NID verification service users at the commission’s headquarters in Agargaon. The accused organizations are the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), Upay (UCB Bank’s digital financial service), Chittagong Port Authority, Department of Women Affairs, and iBAS (Ministry of Finance’s budget system).
“If done intentionally, this is a punishable offense,” Ahmed warned, adding that investigations will determine whether the breach resulted from negligence or deliberate action.
Liberty News’ national correspondent states that, currently 182 organizations use the NID verification service, but some have reportedly shared access with third parties, violating agreements. This comes after a 2023 cybersecurity report claimed Bangladeshi citizens’ data had been exposed online, though the EC previously assured that its servers were secure.
LND/BAIZID
