United News of Bangladesh

The ‘operational halt’ (three-hour work abstention) programme of the Election Commission’s officials and employees has been postponed. The programme was earlier announced to be held on Wednesday, demanding cancellation of the move to transfer NID operation to a separate registration entity.  Convener of Bangladesh Election Commission Officers Association Mohammad Monir Hossain announced the postponement of the programme at a press conference at Nirbachan Bbaban on Tuesday. He said the EC is active in addressing their demands. The commission has sent letters to the government and the consensus commission that the NID operation should be under the EC. “The EC Senior Secretary has also assured us. So, we have postponed Wednesday's operational halt programme, considering the overall public service (hamper) and the assurance,” said Monir Hossain. Director General of the Electoral Training Institute SM Asaduzzaman said if the process of meeting their IR demands is delayed, a 'complete shutdown' programme will be announced in the coming days. On March 13, the EC officers and employees observed a ‘Stand for NID’ programme in protest against the move to NID services to a separate registration commission. The current government has initiated the fresh move to bring a number of civic services, including birth registration and national identity registration services, under a single entity named the ‘Civil Registration Commission’, causing frustrations among the EC’s officials and employees. DCCI proposes single-digit VAT rate in budget recommendations On March 3 last, a meeting of the inter-ministerial committee was held in the Cabinet Division to review the draft of the 'Civil Registration (Commission) Ordinance, 2025'. A representative from the EC Secretariat was also present at the additional secretary-level meeting. In 2023, the previous Awami League government enacted the National Identity Registration Act, 2023 to transfer the national identity registration operation from the Election Commission to the Security Services Division of the Ministry of Home Affairs.       

The current government has initiated a fresh move to bring a number of civic services, including birth registration and national identity registration services, under a single entity named the ‘Civil Registration Commission’, causing frustrations among the Election Commission officials. A meeting of the inter-ministerial committee was held in the Cabinet Division on Monday (March 3) to review the draft of the 'Civil Registration (Commission) Ordinance, 2025'. A representative from the EC Secretariat was also present at the additional secretary-level meeting. About the move, Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin on Tuesday said the Election Commission will place its written opinion to the government about the issue. “We will tell them in writing what we say. We will tell them in writing what problems there will be…they (govt) will not do anything without consultation with us,” he said while talking to reporters at his office in the capital. The CEC, however, said he heard that the government was thinking about how to provide all kinds of citizen services from one place and that will be done under an authority or entity. But the NID (registration) will remain under the jurisdiction of the Election Commission, he said. EC gears up NID verification to prevent data leaks About Monday’s meeting on the draft ordinance, he said the EC presented its views through its representatives in the meeting. But the government has not taken any decision yet, he said. “I believe our opinions will be valued (by the government),” said Nasir Uddin. Noting that the EC officials and employees came to him about the issue, he said there is a kind of disappointment among them and they think that it (the move) will be a matter of concern in the future. In reply to a question, the CEC said the NID services must remain under the jurisdiction of the Election Commission. Earlier on Tuesday, EC senior secretary Akhtar Ahmed said the Cabinet Division has taken an initiative to examine if steps can be taken to expand the NID service structures further. “The discussions are underway in the Cabinet Division,” he told reporters at the Nirbachan Bhaban in the city. The EC secretary said there is no time to say anything beyond this.  “I do not know anything clearly about taking the NID from the Election Commission Secretariat,” he said. The previous Awami League government enacted the National Identity Registration Act, 2023 to transfer the national identity registration operation from the Election Commission to the Security Services Division of the Ministry of Home Affairs. But the Election Commission Secretariat has written to the interim government to repeal the law following the July mas uprising that toppled Sheikh Hasina’s regime.