The Election Commission (EC) has made significant progress in correcting National Identity Card (NID) information, settling 6,442,832 applications out of a total 6,570,842 received so far.
However, 128,010 applications remain pending, while 1,355,157 have been rejected for various reasons, according to updated data from the EC's National Identity Registration Wing as of October 18.
Despite the substantial progress, the commission is now focusing on speeding up the disposal of pending applications, screening out unjustified requests and preventing fraud.
The EC has taken initiatives to accelerate the process by setting deadlines for application disposal, expanding the authority of officials at the upazila and district levels, and strengthening regular monitoring by senior officials.
EC officials said applications submitted up to 2024 have been settled, while the disposal of applications received in 2025 is nearing completion. However, around 80,000 to 90,000 new applications are submitted every month, leaving some applications pending.
The backlog also includes applications that do not qualify for correction and repeated applications submitted under different categories for the same purpose.
Nearly 70,000 applications pending under category 'Gha':
According to EC data, 68,269 applications under category 'Gha' for 2026 are awaiting disposal. Another 983 applications from 2025 remain pending under the same category, bringing the total to 69,252.
Region-wise, 10,615 applications are pending in Dhaka, 5,140 in Faridpur, 5,871 in Khulna, 8,332 in Mymensingh and 4,477 in Rangpur.
The number of pending applications stands at 6,469 in Sylhet, 6,875 in Rajshahi, 4,226 in Barisal, 6,688 in Chittagong and 10,559 in Comilla.
The figures show considerable regional variation, with Dhaka and Comilla recording comparatively higher numbers of pending applications. Region-specific monitoring and more effective management are, therefore, important to ensure their timely disposal.
To speed up NID correction services, the EC has introduced specific deadlines for processing applications and expanded the scope for disposal at the upazila and district levels.
Senior management officials and the relevant directors are also regularly monitoring the progress.
EC Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed said that accuracy remains the primary objective of the application disposal process.
He said voter registration must be completed correctly so that the need for subsequent corrections can be minimised.
He said applications that lack reasonable grounds are now being rejected after scrutiny, with greater emphasis on disposing of each application within the stipulated timeframe.
A large number of applications were also settled through a special initiative last year, he added.
The EC secretary said many applications no longer require correction, while inconsistencies have also been found in some applications submitted by voters living abroad through local representatives. Such cases are being examined before decisions are made, he said.
The EC has also strengthened monitoring of date-of-birth corrections in NID records, placing greater emphasis on educational certificates that can be verified online.
The commission recently sent a letter to all regional election officers in this regard.
Under a circular issued on August 13, applications for date-of-birth correction supported by online-verifiable Junior School Certificate (JSC), secondary or equivalent certificates can be placed under category 'Ka' and settled by the concerned upazila or thana election officer. Certificates issued by the Bangladesh Open University are excluded from this provision.
The directive requires regional election officers and additional regional election officers to monitor the activities of officials under their jurisdiction.
They must also randomly examine at least three applications processed by each authorised officer every month and submit reports on the findings.
Reports covering the period from August 13 to 31 were required to be submitted by September 21. Subsequently, monthly reports must be sent within the first week of the following month.
Through these measures, the commission aims to ensure the accuracy of decisions and strengthen accountability in date-of-birth corrections.
Ineligible applications rejected, age discrepancies scrutinised:
Director (Operations) of the National Identity Registration Wing Md Saiful Islam said that many applications are not eligible for correction.
He said discrepancies sometimes emerge during age correction, including cases where the age difference between a father and his child is only 10 years.
In other instances, the corrected date of birth would mean that the individual was younger than 18 when registered as a voter. Such inconsistencies can lead to the rejection of applications, he said.
Saiful Islam said applicants sometimes submit fresh applications under a different category after their requests have been rejected under another category. This results in repeated applications of a similar nature and may make the pending caseload appear larger.
He said regular meetings are being held and letters sent to the concerned officials to expedite the disposal of pending applications.
A service-oriented attitude among officials, a sense of responsibility and regular monitoring have also contributed to progress in settling applications, he added.
The EC has also reiterated its firm stance against fraud involving NID records.
EC Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed said individuals accused of fraud are being handed over to law enforcement agencies. Administrative action is also being taken against any commission officials or employees found involved in such activities.
He said the commission was conducting media campaigns to raise public awareness about NID-related fraud.
Rather than acting only after receiving complaints, the EC is also working to prevent fraudulent activities before they occur. The feasibility of introducing a technology-based system for this purpose is being examined, he added.
The EC secretary expressed hope that the introduction of such a system would further reduce NID-related fraud.
They believe the EC's next major challenge, following the settlement of more than 6.44 million applications, will be to clear the remaining backlog promptly while reducing the need for future corrections and building a more accurate and reliable national identity registration system.