EC staff 'operational halt' programme postponed

The 'operational halt'programme of the Election Commission's officials and employees, which was supposed to be a three-hour work abstention, 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 has been active in addressing their demands and that 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 13 March, 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.

On 3 March, 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.