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🇧🇩 Bangladesh · National ID card

Smart NID

National Identity Card (NID) / Smart NID Card

The NID is Bangladesh's foundational civil and voter identity document, first issued as laminated paper cards from 2006. The chip-based biometric Smart NID Card launched in October 2016, storing all ten fingerprints. Under the National Identity Registration Act 2023, administration is transitioning from the Election Commission to the government.

What it does
Identity verification / KYCBiometric authenticationOnline authentication
Country:🇧🇩 Bangladesh
Type:National ID card
Status:Live
Launched:2016
Issuer:Bangladesh Election Commission, National Identity Registration Wing (NIDW)
Who can get it:Bangladeshi citizens, with registration tied to reaching voting age (18)
Format
CardSmart cardDownloadable copy
Identity attributes
NameParents' namesDate of birthUnique NID numberPhotographAddressAll ten fingerprints
Authentication methods
Chip-based verificationTen-fingerprint biometric matchingOnline verification with email or SMS code
Common use cases
VotingPassport and driving licence applicationsBank account openingMobile SIM registrationGovernment benefits and e-governance services
Standards
Chip card certified against international security standardsICAO-style secure-document design
Coverage

About 81 million smart cards prepared and ~65.7 million distributed as of October 2024

Interoperability

Domestic

Privacy and trust

The system holds ten-fingerprint biometrics for the whole adult population in one central database, and the 2023 transfer of control from the Election Commission to the executive raised oversight concerns.

Identity verification providers

Independent identity verification vendors that support documents like this for KYC and onboarding. Exact document coverage varies by provider and region, so confirm support before relying on it.

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Official source
https://services.nidw.gov.bd/nid-pub/

Smart NID: frequently asked questions

When did Bangladesh start issuing Smart NID cards?
In October 2016, replacing the older laminated paper NID cards.
Who issues the NID now?
It was issued by the Election Commission's NID Wing, but under the National Identity Registration Act 2023 authority is moving to the government.
Educational reference, not official guidance. Confirm current details with the issuing authority. all Bangladesh schemes · identity verification vendors