Bureaucrat Jailed for Fraudulent Use of Freedom Fighter Quota

In a dramatic turn of events at the Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court, a senior civil servant was remanded to custody on Wednesday following allegations of elaborate identity fraud. Md. Kamal Hossain, a Senior Assistant Secretary currently serving as a Special Officer on Duty (OSD) at the Ministry of Public Administration, stands accused of falsifying his parentage to secure a coveted position within the 35th Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) administration cadre.

Upon hearing the court's decision to cancel his bail and send him to prison, Mr Hossain reportedly addressed the bench with biting sarcasm. "I am a bureaucrat, after all; you have not done me justice," he remarked from the dock, a statement that prompted immediate intervention from court police to maintain order.

The Anatomy of the Allegations

The case, initiated by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), paints a picture of systemic deception. According to the prosecution, Kamal Hossain allegedly disowned his biological parents—Md. Abul Kashem and Habia Khatun—in favour of his uncle, Md. Ahsan Habib, a recognised "Bir Muktijoddha" (Freedom Fighter), and his aunt, Sanoara Khatun.

By posing as the son of a Freedom Fighter, Hossain successfully exploited the preferential quota system to gain university admission and, ultimately, his high-ranking government post.

A Trail of Documentary Discrepancies

The ACC's investigation revealed that during his early education at Sirajnagar Government Primary School and Philipnagar Secondary School in Kushtia, Hossain correctly identified his biological father in official records. However, upon entering the ninth grade, he allegedly re-registered using his uncle’s name as his father to facilitate future benefits.

The Prosecutor for the ACC, Delwar Jahan, informed the press that Hossain had previously secured anticipatory bail from the High Court. However, he subsequently failed to comply with court mandates, specifically regarding the provision of DNA samples required to verify his lineage. Consequently, Judge Md. Sabbir Foyez ruled that the defendant's lack of cooperation necessitated his immediate detention.

This case has resonated deeply within the civil service, highlighting the ongoing efforts of the ACC to weed out those who have gained administrative power through the desecration of the nation's most respected honours.