All 195 countries · Southern Asia
Bangladesh
Bangladesh runs a biometric smart National ID that is not legally compulsory but is needed in practice for SIMs, banking, passports and many services. The central bank is only researching a CBDC. A 2023 law moving ID control to the Home Ministry was repealed in January 2025.
Digital ID · Goal 16.9
Digital ID in Bangladesh
- Program
- National ID (NID) smart card
- Status
- Used by most adults
- National ID card
- ID card compulsory
- Biometrics
- Yes
- Law
- National Identity Registration Act 2010
The Election Commission runs the NID under the 2010 Act, which allows collection of fingerprints, iris scans and other biometrics. The 2010 Act says lacking an NID does not infringe rights, yet the NID is needed in practice for jobs, land registration, passports, bank accounts and SIM cards. A 2023 Act moving NID to the Home Ministry was repealed on 16 January 2025. A 2025 draft Data Protection Ordinance has been criticised for broad government powers.
Digital money · Goal 8.10
Central bank digital currency
- Status
- Research
The finance minister announced Bangladesh Bank research on a CBDC in 2022. No pilot was found.
On the record
What has happened, newest first
- 2025-01-16Courts & law
The interim government repealed the 2023 NID Act, so the 2010 Act governs again. SEAP (Nationality for All) — Bangladesh digital ID overview ↗
- 2025Rolling it out
The interim government proposed a draft Data Protection Ordinance that critics say gives broad state powers without judicial oversight. SEAP (Nationality for All) — Bangladesh digital ID overview ↗
- 2023-09Rolling it out
A 2023 National Identity Registration Act was enacted to move NID management to the Home Ministry. SEAP (Nationality for All) — Bangladesh digital ID overview ↗
UN and WHO
How Bangladesh has voted
- WHO
- Accepted the 2024 rule changes
- Pandemic Agreement (May 2025)
- No recorded objection
- Migration compact (Dec 2018)
- Voted yes
- Paris climate deal
- Party
- SDG Index 2026
- 64.8 · rank 110 of 169
- Progress reports to the UN (VNRs)
- 3
Sovereignty score
How the -1 adds up
- -1Government digital ID used by most adults source ↗
Points come only from public, sourced actions we track, scored the same way for every country. It isn't a grade of a whole government. How scoring works →
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Nearby · Southern Asia
Country research checked Oct 2026. Tracker data checked 11 Oct 2026. Every claim links to its source.