The National Identity Registration Division under the Election Commission has locked the National Identity Cards of deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina and nine of her family members.
According to an official document from the National Identity Registration Division, the NIDs were locked based on verbal instructions from the division鈥檚 director general ASM Humayun Kabir.
The document, signed by relevant officials on February 16, came to public attention on Monday鈥攖wo months after the action was taken.
The action against them was taken six months and 10 days after the fall of the Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League regime amid a student-led mass uprising on August 5, 2024.
Besides Hasina, NIDs have been locked for Hasina鈥檚 son Sajeeb Ahmed Wazed, daughter Saima Wazed, sister Sheikh Rehana, and Rehana鈥檚 daughters Tulip Rizwana Siddiq and Azmina Siddiq, son Radwan Mujib Siddiq, brother-in-law Tarique Ahmed Siddiq, Tarique鈥檚 wife Shaheen Siddiq and daughter Bushra Siddiq.
Senior officials at the EC declined to disclose the names of the authorities who ordered the action.
They, however, said that the NIDs of the deposed prime minister and her family members were suspended following recommendations from the appropriate authorities.
Once an NID is locked, it can no longer be used, officials at the National Identity Registration Division said.
If a person is suspected of registering as a voter using false information, his or her NID is typically locked until the conclusion of an investigation.
In many cases, NIDs are also locked upon request鈥攐ften by very high-profile individuals 鈥� to prevent misuse and are later unlocked at their request.
Following the fall of the Awami League regime, several cases have been filed against Sheikh Hasina on charges of crimes against humanity.
Bangladesh Bank has earlier frozen the bank accounts of Sheikh Hasina and several members of her family, blocking their access to financial resources.
The Office of the Chief Prosecutor of the International Crimes Tribunal in November 2024 requested the police headquarters to apply for a Red Notice from Interpol to facilitate Sheikh Hasina鈥檚 arrest.
On April 19, the police said that the National Central Bureau of Bangladesh Police had submitted a request to Interpol seeking a 鈥榬ed notice鈥� against 12 people, including deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina.