NID for Rohingyas: 15 EC staffers involved in the forgery
Around 15 Election Commission staffers were involved in providing forged National Identity (NID) cards to Rohingyas and most of them have been sacked for their involvement in different irregularities.
Brig Gen Saidul Islam, director general of the National Identity Registration Wing of the commission, made the announcement yesterday while addressing a press conference at the EC office.
He said they have specific data about how many staffers of the EC were involved in the NID scam.
“We’re not going to disclose their names right now for the sake of the investigation. But the number is not more than 15,” Saidul said, adding that the names will later be disclosed in phases.
The briefing was organised to reveal the primary reports of an EC investigation on NID cards being provided to Rohingyas -- an issue which recently surfaced.
The DG also said that those involved in providing NID cards to Rohingyas, who are Myanmar nationals, would be brought to book soon.
“The EC will do everything necessary to ensure their maximum punishment.”
Saidul said the EC has started a drive against all irregularities within the commission and will take all necessary measures to protect the NID database.
“The chief election commissioner KM Nurul Huda has instructed us to show zero tolerance against corruption. That’s why we have started the drive... We will not spare anyone [involved in irregularities],” he said, adding, “We are verifying whether any existing or former EC officials are involved in it [providing NID cards to Rohingyas].”
Saidul also said that the EC, if necessary, will seek assistance from the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) and intelligence agencies, including the Anti-Counter Terrorism Unit, Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and Special Branch (SB) of police to bring the culprits to book.
“So far, we’ve gotten a list of 61 Rohingyas who tried to be voters. We are examining their information on how they made the attempt and who assisted them,” he said.
About the security of the EC’s main NID server, he said the main server is well protected.
“Without knowing the real matter, many are saying that Rohingya voters were included in the EC’s server. But there is no way to do that. The main EC server is completely protected,” Saidul further said, adding, “There is no scope to do so [include anyone in the main NID server] before next January 24, because before inclusion of any information in the main server, the voter list draft is supposed to be published on January 1,” he said.
“That’s why, names of the Rohingyas were included in the temporary server when voter lists were being updated. And we have so far identified 61 Rohingyas.”
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