Syndicate within EC selling NID data: CID

A syndicate within the Election Commission’s National Identity Registration Wing has allegedly been selling citizens’ personal data and earning several crores every month, according to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).

The CID arrested two EC staffers who are allegedly part of the nexus. They are: Al Amin, 39, a data-entry operator at the NID wing under the Director General of the NID Registration Wing; and Habibullah, 41, a computer operator-cum-office assistant at the EC office in Gazaria, Munshiganj.

A team from the CID’s Cyber Police Centre arrested Al Amin from Agargaon and Habibullah from the Chandrima area of Mohammadpur in separate drives on Wednesday, CID officials said.

Briefing the media at CID headquarters yesterday, Deputy Inspector General Abul Basar Talukder said that 1,12,150 NID records were accessed within just one week, while 3,65,608 records were viewed over a 30-day period, citing an internal inquiry by the commission.

“If the data were sold at Tk 300 per record, the accused illegally earned around Tk 11 crore,” the DIG said.

The official also said that the arrestees, during initial questioning, admitted that they had accessed the NID’s core server at the EC Secretariat using OTP transfers and sold citizens’ personal data through various social media platforms.

Al Amin, who worked as an outsourced data-entry operator at the EC’s Dhaka office since 2016, was provided with a confidential user ID and password that allowed access to NID data nationwide, the DIG said.

Habibullah, who joined the EC in 2008, worked at the EC office in Dhaka from 2013 and was transferred to the Gazaria upazila election office in April 2025, however, had access only to NID records of citizens under the Gazaria upazila.

“Taking advantage of their prior acquaintance, Al Amin shared his confidential login credentials with Habibullah. In return, Habibullah paid Al Amin Tk 4,000-5,000 per week,” the DIG said.

Using the confidential credentials, Habibullah illegally accessed the NID database and sold sensitive personal information of citizens to interested parties at rates ranging from Tk 200-300 per record, according to the CID’s preliminary investigation.

The investigation also found that Habibullah used the illegal earnings to acquire a flat in Dhaka and other movable and immovable assets, and has been living a lavish lifestyle.

Legal proceedings are underway, and further investigation is ongoing, the DIG added.