Tarek M Barkatullah, former director of the Data Center, was arrested this morning in Dhaka’s Kafrul area in connection with a case related to the leaking of National Identity (NID) card information.

The arrest was confirmed by Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Deputy Commissioner (Media) Muhammad Talebur Rahman.

The case, filed under the Cyber Security Act and relevant sections of the Penal Code, names 19 individuals, including Sajeeb Wazed Joy, former ICT adviser and son of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, and former State Minister for ICT Zunaid Ahmed Palak.

The case, lodged by Mohammad Enamul Haque, alleges that these individuals allowed Digicon Global Services Ltd to exploit NID data for commercial purposes without ensuring national and personal security.

According to the complaint, NID information of more than 11 crore citizens was sold to 182 organizations, both domestic and international, leading to widespread security concerns. The case also accuses the defendants of embezzling Tk 20,000 crore through these transactions.

Several high-ranking officials, including Wahidur Rahman Sharif, director of Digicon Global Services, and former senior secretary of the Ministry of ICT NM Ziaul Alam, are among those named in the case. The allegations have raised alarms about the misuse of sensitive data and its impact on citizens’ privacy.