User IDs, passwords, and OTPs were being shared in a WhatsApp group to illegally modify and transfer National Identity Card (NID) server information. In exchange, 5,000 taka was collected every day.
The syndicate running the WhatsApp group would then supply this access to various computer composite and photocopy shops, driving a roaring illegal business.
Election Commission (EC) officials reported that the incident took place at the Mongla Upazila Election Office in Bagerhat. The operation was being run using the account of Office Assistant Roni Gain.
A departmental case was filed against him after tracing a total of 37 unauthorized NID corrections and transfers back to his user ID on the Card Management System (CMS). Investigation, hearings, and document reviews revealed that Roni Gain had shared his user ID, password, and OTP with a data entry operator out of “good faith.”
And that is where the trouble began. EC officials noted that the ring could not evade detection for long. Interrogating the account holder exposed the entire scheme.
According to the departmental case disposition order signed by EC Joint Secretary (Administration and Finance) DM Atiqur Rahman, Roni Gain was given a minor penalty—suspension of his annual salary increment for one year—for failing to maintain the confidentiality of the NID server.
The EC order stated that Roni Gain’s CMS user ID was used to illegally process several NID correction and transfer applications. Furthermore, allegations were brought against him for sharing his user ID, password, and OTP with unauthorized individuals, compromising the privacy of national identity data.
The investigation revealed that Roni Gain assisted in processing 37 NID modification and transfer requests using his CMS ID. Additionally, CMS session IDs were exported and shared in a WhatsApp group via a cookie editor extension.
According to the charges, these session IDs were supplied to individuals operating several computer shops in Mongla. Using these IDs, they logged into the Election Commission’s CMS software to gather voters’ personal data.
The EC order noted that after preliminary investigations confirmed the authenticity of the allegations, a departmental lawsuit was filed against Roni Gain. He was granted the opportunity to submit a written reply and attend a personal hearing. During the hearing, he apologized for certain mistakes and pledged never to engage in such activities again.
