The personal data of National Identity Card (NID) holders has been leaked from five institutions, prompting the Election Commission (EC) to issue show-cause notices to the concerned organizations.
EC Secretary Akhtar Ahmed confirmed this information during a press briefing at the Election Commission office in Agargaon, Dhaka, on Monday (February 10).
Institutions Involved in the Data Leak:
- Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS)
- UCB Bank's "Upay"
- Chittagong Port Authority
- Department of Women's Affairs
- iBAS under the Ministry of Finance
Following an initial investigation, the EC found evidence of data breaches and has asked these institutions to explain the situation.
Akhtar Ahmed stated that officials are determining whether the leak was accidental due to negligence or a deliberate act. If it is proven that the breach was intentional, those responsible will face legal consequences.
He also pointed out that 182 institutions currently use NID data services, emphasizing the need for stricter control over data usage. "We cannot leave the system open and then blame the thief," he remarked.
Before the 12th National Election, concerns were raised regarding a citizen data breach from the Bangladesh Computer Council (BCC). Initially, BCC denied responsibility, but a follow-up investigation by the Nasir Uddin Commission revealed violations of data security protocols.
As a result, on December 20, 2024, the Election Commission terminated its contract with BCC for breaching the agreement on registration data verification.
