NID services to remain halted for 2hrs as officials to form human chain tomorrow

National Identity (NID) services will remain halted for 2 hours tomorrow due to a human chain programme called by the Election Commission officials who demand keeping NID services under its jurisdiction.

Election Commission (EC) officials will form human chains in front of the Election Commission offices across the country from 11am to 1pm tomorrow (13 March).

Deputy Secretary of the EC secretariat Mohammad Manir Hossain made the announcement of the programme at a press conference in the EC building today (12 March).

During the two-hour programme titled "Stand for NID", all NID-related operations will remain halted, he said.

EC to firmly advocate for keeping NID services under its jurisdiction: CEC

Manir, also the convener of Election Commission Officers' Association, said, "The voter list and NID services must remain under the same institution. EC also wants voter list to remain under EC. But we saw the government to form a separate commission for NID services."

"We have given a memorandum to CEC protesting this decision, and EC has also informed the government as a consequence. However, we did not see any foreseeable result, which is why we have decided to carry out our 'Stand for NID' programme in front of EC Building tomorrow from 11am to 1pm," added Manir.

Replying to a question, Manir further said, "All of us will leave our offices and join the programme tomorrow. Who will provide NID services then? So, it is normal that NID services will remain suspended during this time."

At the press conference, Director General of Electoral Training Institute SM Asaduzzaman said, "EC will take every step so that NID services does not leave the commission's jurisdiction. Elections will be threatened if NID services is taken away from the commission. NID and voter list are twin babies, and the former must remain under EC."

"The autocratic government of Sheikh Hasina had hatched a conspiracy to take away NID services from EC. We are providing information to 183 institutions through NID services. NID services can be destroyed if it is taken away from the commission. The EC has created a manpower of 4,000 to 5,000 people to provide NID services," Asaduzzaman added.

During the event, NID's System Manager (Technical) Muhammad Ashraf Hossain said, "The birth of NID services has been such that it cannot be taken away from the EC. There is only one database, and if any institution wants the NID, they will need to take the voter list too."

"The voter list will face a decline if NID services is taken away from the EC. The birthplace of NID has been the EC, so it should remain here," Ashraf added.   

Earlier, Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin reaffirmed that the Election Commission will strongly advocate for retaining control over the national identity (NID) services amid government efforts to transfer them under a new entity.

He made the remark while speaking to reporters following a sit-in protest by EC employees and officials in front of his office room at the Nirbachan Bhaban in Dhaka on 6 March.