Thousands of Bangladeshi Expatriates Face Problems Over Mismatched NID and Passport Information

Thousands of Bangladeshi expatriates are facing difficulties because of discrepancies between the information on their National Identity Cards (NIDs) and passports, particularly when returning home and seeking government and private-sector services.

The problem is especially affecting expatriates whose passports were issued with incorrect or different names, dates of birth or other personal information before they traveled abroad. In many cases, those passport details were later used to obtain residence permits, bank accounts, employment documents and other official records overseas.

Mashiur Rahman Mumin of Habiganj is one such case. According to his NID, he was born in July 1995. However, a passport arranged through a broker before he traveled abroad listed his name as “Mashiur Mia” and his year of birth as 1999.

Mumin used that passport to travel to Greece, where his residence permit and other documents were subsequently issued using the same information. Since his NID was not required for many services while he was abroad, the discrepancy did not initially create problems.

After returning to Bangladesh, however, he faced difficulties when applying for a driving license. Authorities found that the name and birth year on his NID did not match the information on his passport and other documents, preventing him from completing the process.

Mumin later applied to have his NID information corrected to match his documents used abroad but said he has been waiting for months without a resolution.

Similar problems are reportedly affecting expatriates seeking to renew their e-passports after returning to Bangladesh. Applications can become delayed when names, dates of birth or other personal details on passports do not match NID records.

Another expatriate, Rafiqul Islam, said his documents abroad had been prepared based on the information contained in his passport. After returning home, he discovered that the passport information did not match his NID, creating complications in renewing his passport.

Community leaders say discrepancies often arise because brokers or intermediaries provide passports containing incorrect names, ages or birth dates when arranging overseas travel. Expatriates may then use those details for years to obtain residence permits, bank accounts, employment documents and other legal records in their host countries.

Community leader Zahid Islam said many expatriates become trapped in such situations after years abroad. He called for a special and expedited mechanism to correct NID information after verifying an individual’s identity and legally issued foreign documents.

Expatriates say the NID may not be necessary for many purposes while they are abroad, but it becomes essential after returning to Bangladesh for services such as obtaining a driving license, opening bank accounts, buying or selling property and completing tax-related procedures.

They are calling for a special system through which valid passports, residence permits and other official foreign documents can be verified and considered when correcting NID information. They also want applications from expatriates to be processed more quickly through a dedicated mechanism.

Expatriates argue that, given their significant contribution to Bangladesh’s economy, the NID correction process should be made more accessible, transparent and efficient, while ensuring that all corrections are based on proper verification of identity and supporting documents.