FM MIZANUR RAHAMAN, Ctg

Police have yet to conclude their investigation and submit a charge sheet to the court in the case filed over the Bangladeshi NID scam for Rohingyas, even after five years.

Investigation into the case, filed with Kotwali Police Station in Chattogram in 2019, reportedly stalled after the involvement of senior Election Commission (EC) officials surfaced during the probe.

The case is now likely to be transferred to the Anti-Corruption Commission.

In 2019, an ACC team first discovered that Rohingyas had been added to the Bangladeshi NID database using NID forms and EC laptops. The ACC also found that several laptops used for entering NID information had been missing for years.

Currently, the Criminal Investigation Department of Chattogram is handling the case after it was transferred from the Counter-Terrorism (CT) Division of Chattogram Metropolitan Police on February 12, 2023, following an order from Police Headquarters.

“The case will be handed over to ACC as some sensitive information and names of EC officials have emerged during the investigation. As per the law, ACC now has jurisdiction over it. When the court orders us to transfer the case, we will comply,” said Shahnewaz Khaled, superintendent of police, Chattogram CID.

He declined to elaborate further.

Meanwhile, another case related to the NID scam has recently been transferred to the ACC.

Investigators said more than 20 EC officials, from directors to office assistants, were involved in a syndicate that issued Bangladeshi NID cards to Rohingyas directly from the NID servers.

Despite repeated attempts, this correspondent could not determine how many times police sought time extensions from the court to finish the investigation.

“If someone is named in a criminal’s statement, it does not automatically prove their guilt. A proper investigation and solid evidence are required to establish involvement,” said a police official, requesting anonymity.

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