Three Netrokona Election Office Staff Sacked Over Rohingya Citizenship Scam

Three outsourcing employees stationed at the Kalmakanda Upazila Election Office in Netrokona have been terminated from service following an inquiry into the illegal issuing of Bangladeshi citizenship and national identification documents to a Rohingya refugee in exchange for money. Netrokona District Election Officer Mohammad Tofael Hossain confirmed the dismissals, explaining that the contractual workers were formally relieved of their duties following an administrative directive.

The dismissed personnel have been identified as data entry operators Kanchan Mia and Arif Mia, alongside scanning operator Smoron Sarkar Hira. Their discharge follows an official investigation commissioned by the Election Commission, which substantiated allegations of procedural breaches and fraudulent document creation within the local office database.

The illicit scheme was uncovered in the Ramnathpur Pagla area of Kalmakanda upazila, where a Rohingya national successfully procured a Bangladeshi National Identity (NID) card and passport through financial transactions with local office staff. A similar instance of fraudulent NID creation was subsequently detected in Netrokona Sadar upazila, raising concerns over broader administrative collusion within district election facilities.

National daily newspapers first exposed the fraudulent activity in January, prompting the central authority to initiate a formal inquiry. The Mymensingh Regional Election Officer spearheaded the investigation, ultimately establishing the direct involvement of the three third-party employees. District Election Officer Tofael Hossain clarified that the individuals were not permanent civil servants, but were instead supplied to the election office through a private outsourcing agency.

Questions remain regarding potential oversight by senior administrative staff, as formal disciplinary proceedings against permanent election officials connected to the office have yet to be finalised. Tofael Hossain emphasised that additional allegations regarding fraudulent NID issuance across the district are currently under active investigation, with further administrative measures expected upon the completion of ongoing inquiries.

The fallout from the investigation turned contentious when one of the terminated data entry operators, Kanchan Mia, allegedly telephoned local journalist Ibad Hossain and issued a death threat after news of the dismissals became public. The reporter lodged an official complaint with Netrokona Model Police Station. Officer-in-Charge Abul Khair confirmed receipt of the allegation, stating that police officers are examining the matter to determine appropriate legal action. Kanchan Mia acknowledged confronting the journalist under severe emotional strain, maintaining that he later recognised his mistake and sought to apologise.

The unlawful acquisition of official identity records by foreign nationals remains a critical security concern across Bangladesh. With large refugee populations residing in camp settlements in the south-east, instances of forged documentation frequently prompt rigorous state intervention to safeguard the integrity of the national voter registry and biometric database.