2 Rohingyas reportedly obtain NIDs with forged data

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Two Rohingya nationals allegedly obtained Bangladeshi NIDs using forged information through the Kalmakanda Upazila Election Office in Netrokona.

Nur Halima received an NID on August 11 after being falsely shown as a resident of Shantinagar village, while Mujibur Rahman’s NID issuance was halted after irregularities were detected in his application.

Nur Halima’s NID listed local residents Omar Ali and Sharifa Khatun as her parents, but Omar Ali said none of his children was named Nur Halima. A local resident alleged that the NIDs could not have been prepared without official involvement and proper verification.

An election office source said the documents were uploaded around 9:45pm using the office’s user ID, despite such uploads being against office rules. Another source alleged that local brokers helped obtain the NIDs in exchange for money.

Kalmakanda Upazila Election Officer Md Zillur Rahman later acknowledged that an inquiry found the information used for the NIDs to be false. He said higher authorities had been informed and an internal investigation was underway.

District Election Officer Mohammad Tofael Hossain said an inquiry was examining the repeated irregularities at the office.

Earlier, on July 20, three outsourced employees were dismissed and the then upazila election officer was transferred over the issuance of NIDs to Rohingya nationals.