Hasina, her family won’t be able to vote in upcoming national election: EC secretary
In April this year, the EC’s NID Wing locked the NIDs of Sheikh Hasina and ten members of her family.
Deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina and her family members will not be able to cast their votes in the upcoming 13th national parliamentary election scheduled for February next year as their national identity cards remain locked, Election Commission Secretary Akhtar Ahmed said today.
"Anyone whose NID card has been locked cannot vote from abroad. Those who fled abroad due to cases or for other reasons face no obstacle in voting, but their NID must remain unlocked," he told reporters at his office in the capital's Agargaon.
"To vote from abroad, one must register online using their NID number. A passport will not work. So if someone's NID is locked, how can they register? They cannot. Only those who register with their NIDs will get this opportunity," Akhtar explained.
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In April this year, under instructions from NID Wing Director General ASM Humayun Kabir, the NIDs of Sheikh Hasina and 10 of her family members were locked.
The family members include Sheikh Rehana Siddique, Sajeeb Wazed Joy, Saima Wazed, Shahnaz Siddique, Bushra Siddique, Tulip Rizwana Siddique, Azmira Siddique, Radwan Mujib Siddique, and Tarique Ahmed Siddique.
Sheikh Hasina and several senior Awami League leaders fled to India on 5 August last year after a student-led mass uprising toppled her government. Since then, many top party figures have been staying in different countries.
While the government has imposed restrictions on Awami League's organisational activities, their voting rights technically remain intact. Party members may still contest the election, but only those physically present in Bangladesh will be able to cast their votes.
However, the exact number of leaders abroad with locked NIDs could not be confirmed by TBS.
