EC ‘locks’ National IDs of Hasina, 9 of her family members

The Election Commission Secretariat has suspended the National Identity (NID) cards of ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina and nine members of her family.

The ID cards were deactivated last Wednesday, the election watchdog says, reports bdnews24.com. 

In addition to Hasina herself, the NIDs of her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy, daughter Saima Wazed Putul, sister Sheikh Rehana Siddiq, nephew Radwan Mujib Siddiq Bobby, and nieces Tulip Rizwana Siddiq and Azmina Siddiq, Rehana’s brother-in-law Tariq Ahmed Siddique, Tariq’s wife Shahin Siddique and their daughter Bushra Siddique have been locked. 

This bars them from using any service that requires an NID.

Their NIDs were locked after the National Identity Registration Division‍‍`s Director General ASM Humayun Kabir gave this instruction in February. Currently, the NID Wing DG is on a trip to Australia for NID registration abroad.

When asked about the locking, NID Wing System Manager Mohammad Ashraf Hossain highlighted the effects of locking an NID. 

The official mentioned that if the NID is locked, it is not possible to verify the voter‍‍`s information, nor will it be possible to edit the NID information in any way.

He said, "If the NID is locked, the card can no longer be used. In addition, if a voter provides false information or an investigation is underway regarding the NID, it is locked until it is completed. Most of the time, the NID is locked at the request of VVIPs, so that no one can misuse it. It is unlocked again at their request."

The system manager mentioned that locking the NID does not bar citizens from voting or running for political office. 

On Mar 11, a court gave the latest order to freeze 124 bank accounts under the names of Hasina, her family, and related institutions and parties.

In addition, the Awami League, Shuchona Foundation, Center for Research and Information (CRI) and Abu Siddique Memorial Trust also have large amounts of money in their bank accounts.

Apart from Hasina, the bank accounts of her sister Rehana, her son Joy, daughter Putul, Rehana‍‍`s son Bobby, Bobby‍‍`s father Shafiq Ahmed Siddique, his brother Tarique, Tarique Siddique‍‍`s wife Shahin and daughter Bushra are also on this list.