Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) A M M Nasir Uddin has stated that the National Identity Card (NID) system should remain under the jurisdiction of the Election Commission (EC). Speaking to journalists at the Election Commission on Tuesday, March 4, he expressed confidence that the government would not make a decision to transfer NID services without consulting the EC. He further mentioned that the commission would formally communicate to the government why it is essential to retain the NID under the EC’s authority.

Meanwhile, Monir Hossain, the convener of the Bangladesh Election Commission Officers’ Association, voiced concerns over the move, stating that transferring NID services from the EC disregards reform recommendations and is being influenced by a vested interest group. He warned that if the NID is taken away, the constitutional authority of the EC would be weakened.

Reports indicate that the NID services are being moved from the EC to a newly proposed Civil Registration Commission. The Chief Adviser has given preliminary and final approval to the draft of the “National Identity Registration Act (Repeal) Ordinance, 2025,” following a discussion in the Advisory Council. The Cabinet Division has been instructed to proceed with the necessary actions in this regard.

Following these directives, the Cabinet Division held an inter-ministerial meeting on March 3 to review the draft of the “Civil Registration (Commission) Ordinance, 2025.” According to the Advisory Council’s directive, the drafting of the ordinance was deemed timely, and it was suggested that NID registration and related activities should be managed by an independent, autonomous institution rather than the EC. The directive also emphasized the need to streamline processes, ensuring that birth registration certificates lead to NID issuance and that NID cards facilitate passport applications without unnecessary complications for citizens. To achieve this, the Cabinet Division may revise the draft ordinance in consultation with the Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs Division, the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Local Government Division, and the EC Secretariat before presenting it at an Advisory Council meeting.