Dhaka, Feb 10 (V7N) – The Election Commission (EC) has uncovered evidence that five institutions, including the Directorate General of Health Services and the Chittagong Port Authority, have been leaking National Identity Card (NID) data to third parties.

EC Secretary Akhtar Ahmed shared this information during a press conference on Tuesday morning, following the first day of a three-day meeting with organizations using the NID verification service. The meeting took place at the Election Building in Agargaon.

Accused Institutions

According to Secretary Akhtar, the institutions under scrutiny for leaking NID information include:

  • Directorate General of Health Services
  • UCB Bank's Upaya
  • Chittagong Port Authority
  • Department of Women Affairs
  • iBUS of the Ministry of Finance

These institutions are part of the 182 entities that use the NID verification service provided by the Election Commission. The EC Secretary raised concerns over the unrestricted sharing of sensitive data beyond what was necessary, which he described as a breach of contract.

Data Use and Breach of Contract

The EC believes that the scope of data sharing should be limited to what is necessary for the institutions' operations. Secretary Akhtar emphasized that other institutions were using services from multiple sources, which he considered a violation of the established contract with the EC. He assured that the Election Commission would review how much information each institution needed and whether they were taking more than required.

Investigating the Leakage

The Election Commission has issued show-cause notices to the institutions involved in the data leak. An investigation is underway to determine whether the leaks were caused by carelessness or were intentional. The EC Secretary stated that if any institution was found to have knowingly leaked information, it would be treated as a punishable offense.

Secretary Akhtar clarified that, so far, five institutions have been identified as sources of the information leak. The EC is currently investigating how the leaks occurred and whether they were inadvertent or deliberate. He also stressed that technical examinations would be carried out to further understand the nature of the breaches.

Ongoing Discussions

The Election Commission continues its discussions with organizations using the NID verification service. The meetings with stakeholders are scheduled to continue for the next two days, with banks set to meet with the EC on Tuesday and insurance companies on Wednesday.

Next Steps

The Election Commission is working diligently to ensure that the NID database—which is under its control—remains secure and that any breaches are addressed promptly. The ongoing investigations into these leaks will likely result in legal action if any intentional misconduct is discovered.

END/MSS/AJ