The Election Commission (EC) is considering a proposal to allow the inclusion of the names of multiple wives on National ID (NID) cards.
Considering a series of requests from citizens seeking to amend their NID details, ASM Humayun Kabir, the director general of the National Identity Registration Wing of the Election Commission, revealed on Monday that the commission has begun initial discussions about revising the NID system to include the names of multiple wives.
Notably, Bangladesh is an Islamic majority country where Islamic law allows for up to four wives under specific circumstances.
The proposal is aimed at addressing the increasing number of requests for NID corrections, which have revealed several issues, including the lack of nicknames on NID cards.
"Many people use different names informally, and these are not reflected on their NIDs," said Humayun. "To address this, we are considering adding a section for nicknames in the NID form, which would help in identifying individuals more accurately."
Humayun said some women have even approached the Election Commission to request the inclusion of their names as second or third wives on their husbands' NID cards.
He added that while this issue is sensitive, the inclusion of wives' names in the National ID system could help resolve marital identification matters, especially if higher authorities approve it.
The official clarified that this is not something the Election Commission can do unilaterally. “This is not something we can do automatically. But if a person has multiple wives, we could consider adding their names in Section 2 of the NID form. We are considering this option, which could solve many problems in the future.”
This proposal, if approved, would mark a major shift in how marital relationships are documented and officially recognized. It would also acknowledge the diversity of family structures.
However, the change would require approval from the Election Commission, the Secretariat, and other higher authorities.
