EC resolves over 6.4 million NID issues

Photo: collected

The Election Commission (EC) has resolved 6,442,832 of the 6,570,842 applications submitted to correct National Identity Card (NID) information, according to data updated through October 18, reports BSS.

However, 128,010 applications remain pending, while 1,355,157 have been rejected for various reasons.

Data from the EC's National Identity Registration Wing show that the commission is focusing on clearing pending applications, rejecting ineligible requests and preventing fraud. Measures include setting deadlines for processing applications, expanding the authority of field-level officers and strengthening supervision by senior officials.

EC officials said applications submitted up to 2024 had been resolved, while processing of applications from 2025 was nearing completion. However, an average of 80,000 to 90,000 new applications arrive each month, leaving some cases pending. Some applications also involve requests that cannot be approved or repeated submissions under different categories for the same correction.

Nearly 70,000 applications pending in category D

EC data show that 68,269 category D applications submitted in 2026 remain pending, along with 983 from 2025, bringing the total to 69,252.

The regional breakdown shows 10,615 pending applications in Dhaka, 5,140 in Faridpur, 5,871 in Khulna, 8,332 in Mymensingh and 4,477 in Rangpur.

There are also 6,469 pending applications in Sylhet, 6,875 in Rajshahi, 4,226 in Barishal, 6,688 in Chattogram and 10,559 in Cumilla.

The figures indicate heavier backlogs in Dhaka and Cumilla, highlighting the need for closer regional monitoring and more efficient processing.

EC sets deadlines to speed up processing

The commission has set deadlines for resolving NID correction applications and expanded the scope for disposal at upazila and district levels. Senior officials and relevant directors are also monitoring progress regularly.

EC Secretariat Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed said accuracy remained the priority, with voter registration processes needing to be improved to reduce the need for corrections later.

He said some applications had previously been approved without adequate scrutiny. The commission was now rejecting requests deemed unreasonable and seeking to resolve applications within the prescribed deadlines.

A special programme had also helped clear a large number of applications last year, he said.

Ahmed added that some applications no longer required correction, while others submitted by expatriate voters contained inconsistencies in information provided through local representatives. Such cases were being verified before decisions were made.

Tighter scrutiny of date-of-birth corrections

The EC has strengthened oversight of NID date-of-birth corrections, giving priority to educational certificates that can be verified online.

In a letter to regional election officers, the commission reiterated instructions under an August 13 circular allowing applications supported by online-verifiable Junior School Certificate (JSC), secondary or equivalent certificates to be placed in category A and processed by the relevant upazila or thana election officer. Certificates issued by the Bangladesh Open University are excluded.

Regional and additional regional election officers have been instructed to supervise subordinate officials. Each processing officer must also have at least three applications audited monthly through random sampling, with reports submitted to the commission.

Reports covering August 13-31 were due by September 21, while subsequent monthly reports must be submitted within the first week of the following month. The measures aim to improve the accuracy of decisions and ensure accountability in date-of-birth corrections.

Ineligible applications rejected, fraud checks tightened

Md Saiful Islam, director (operations) of the National Identity Registration Wing, said many applications could not be approved because they failed to meet eligibility requirements.

In some age-correction requests, the recorded age difference between a father and child was only 10 years. Other applications, after correction, indicated that the applicant had been younger than 18 when registered as a voter. Such inconsistencies could lead to rejection, he said.

Islam added that some applicants resubmitted rejected requests under different categories, creating duplicate cases and inflating the apparent backlog.

The commission is holding regular meetings and sending instructions to relevant officials to speed up processing. He said greater accountability among officers and regular supervision had helped improve disposal rates.

The EC has also adopted a strict stance against NID-related fraud. Cases involving substantiated allegations are referred to law enforcement agencies, while commission employees found involved face administrative action, Ahmed said.

The commission is conducting public awareness campaigns and exploring technological measures to prevent fraud before it occurs, rather than relying solely on complaints after incidents have taken place.

Islam said the NID division was also warning the public against fraud networks and providing guidance through its helpdesk.

Accurate registration seen as long-term solution

With 80,000 to 90,000 new applications arriving each month, faster processing alone will not eliminate the backlog, officials said.

Long-term improvements will require stronger verification during voter registration, greater public awareness about submitting accurate information and accountability throughout the correction process.

After resolving more than 6.4 million applications, the EC faces the dual challenge of clearing the remaining cases and strengthening the reliability of the national identity database to reduce the need for future corrections.