Rohingya NID: Another EC staff on five-day remand

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Staff Correspondent, Chattogram
Published : 20:51, Sep 20, 2019 | Updated : 20:54, Sep 20, 2019

Sample of a smart ID card, issued by Bangladesh government PHOTO/Syed Zakir HossainA court in Chattogram placed a temporary employee of the Election Commission on five-day remand, for his alleged involvement in helping Rohingyas obtain National Identity Cards (NIDs).
The EC employee was identified as Mostafa Faruk, a temporary employee (outsourcing) of the electoral roll updating project of the Election Commission.
Chattogram Metropolitan Magistrate Abu Saleh Md Noman passed the remand order on Friday (Sept 20) after police prayed for a seven-day remand.
On Thursday (Sept 19), the Counter Terrorism Unit of Chittagong Metropolitan Police (CMP), the investigating agency of the Rohingya NID case, summoned Faruk for interrogation at its office. He was shown as arrested on Friday.
After raiding Faruk’s residence at Chittagong’s Hamjarbag area, the Counter Terrorism Unit retrieved two lost laptops, including one owned by the Election Commission, and other equipments from his possession on Thursday night.
Md Shahidullah, deputy commissioner of Counter Terrorism Unit, disclosed the information during a press briefing at Dampara Police Lines on Friday morning.
“Based on information provided by suspended EC staff member Joynal Abedin during remand, Mostafa Faruk was detained for interrogation. Later, two laptops, a modem, a pen drive, three digital signing pads, and laminating equipment for identity cards were recovered from Faruk’s Hamjarbag residence,” said the deputy commissioner.
During primary interrogation, Faruk told police that he has been working for the EC’s electoral roll updating project as a temporary employee.
Counter Terrorism Unit Inspector Rajesh Barua, investigating officer of the case, said they would pray to the court for a seven-day remand for Faruk.
On Sept 18, a Chittagong court placed three people on remand, as they were accused in a case filed for helping Rohingyas obtain illegal NIDs.
The accused were Joynal Abedin, 35, office assistant at Double-Mooring Thana Election office, Bijoy Das, 26, and his sister Sima Das, 24.
The court placed the EC staff members on three-day remand, and two others on one-day remand.
On Sept 17, Pallabi Chakma, election officer of Double-Mooring Thana Election office, filed the case against the trio with Kotwali police station, under the Digital Security Act, and EC Act.
On Sept 16, the EC temporarily suspended Joynal for being accused in a case filed for helping the Rohingyas obtain illegal NIDs.

/hb/
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