Rohingyas Allegedly Receiving National Identity Cards from Madaripur

Miad Hossain
Allegations have surfaced that Rohingya refugees fleeing from Myanmar are obtaining national identification cards (NID) from Madaripur. This has caused widespread discontent among local residents.

Upon receiving these allegations, the Election Commission formed an investigation committee, which initially confirmed the claims. As a result, one election official has been removed from their duties.

Investigations revealed that Jamila Khatun, a resident of Block 3 in the Jadir Mura Rohingya camp in Teknaf, Cox's Bazar, listed Abul Kalam as her father and Mahmuda Khatun as her mother. However, she received her NID on February 1 from the Charjanajat area in Shibchar Upazila, Madaripur, and has also applied for a passport. The local Union Parishad Chairman for the area where she registered her address does not recognize her. The acting Chairman of Charjanajat Union, Nasir Sarkar, stated, "The woman named Jamila Khatun mentioned here is not a resident of this union, and I do not know her."

There are accusations that Madaripur District Election Officer Md. Ali Ahmed and Shibchar Upazila Election Officer SM Kader colluded to allow this Rohingya woman to be registered as a voter in exchange for a large sum of money, which led to her being issued an NID.

Further investigation revealed that Jamila Khatun, along with her husband Muktabiz Islam, fled Myanmar and lived in Block 3 of the Jadir Mura Rohingya camp in Teknaf, Cox's Bazar. A few years ago, Muktabiz Islam obtained a Bangladeshi passport and is currently residing in Saudi Arabia. He later arranged for his wife, Jamila Khatun, to be recognized as a Bangladeshi citizen in order to apply for a passport.

There are also allegations that multiple Rohingya refugees are using fake local addresses in Madaripur to become registered voters. This is allegedly facilitated by corrupt election officials and employees in exchange for money. On October 1, a person in Madaripur Sadar Upazila attempted to register as a voter using false documents, but the process was halted when their birth registration could not be verified online.

Rohingyas are using fake Bangladeshi NIDs to obtain passports and migrate to various countries, including those in the Middle East. They conceal their true identities and use local families as fake parents to obtain NIDs with the help of corrupt election officials. A well-organized syndicate is facilitating this by creating fake documents for a large fee, allowing Rohingyas to pose as Bangladeshis and travel abroad. Brokers are reportedly charging between 300,000 to 350,000 BDT for a single NID.

When contacted on WhatsApp, Muktabiz Islam, Jamila Khatun’s husband residing in Saudi Arabia, claimed that although he is a citizen of Myanmar, his wife Jamila Khatun is a Bangladeshi citizen.

When asked how he obtained a Bangladeshi passport, Muktabiz Islam did not answer directly, instead responding with, "So what if I am Rohingya? Can’t Rohingyas get Bangladeshi passports?"

Locals state that Rohingyas are becoming voters through various tactics, and local representatives and election officials cannot avoid responsibility. They believe this is only possible through bribes.

Advocate Masud Parvez, president of the Madaripur Development Struggle Committee, said, "The process of obtaining an NID is not easy. It involves at least five steps, including application submission, data collection, verification, and processing at the upazila server before an NID is issued. This process takes time. If someone has received an NID despite completing all these steps, it indicates serious irregularities and corruption."

The accused Upazila Election Officer, SM Kader, could not be reached for comment as he is currently stationed at the Bhola District Election Office.

Madaripur District Election Officer Md. Ali Ahmed denied responsibility, stating, "After getting the information that a Rohingya woman became a voter in Shibchar Upazila, I requested the Superintendent of Police to investigate. The investigation confirmed the allegations, and we recommended removing her name from the voter list."

He added that action would be taken against those involved, and that the Election Commission's disciplinary department has already initiated steps against SM Kader, transferring him to another location. Additionally, he mentioned that on October 1, in Madaripur Sadar Upazila, an individual attempted to register as a voter using false documents, but their application was halted when their birth registration could not be verified online.