Own Correspondent: The incident of issue of birth certificate was first detected in the beginning of 2021 by infiltrating the government server and using ID and password of three wards of Chittagong. Even after two years have passed, the former programmer of the Department of Birth and Death Registration said. Khalid could not be arrested. Recently, the issue of 550 birth certificates using the addresses of five wards of Chittagong has raised the issue of Khalid.
According to the law enforcement officers, in 2021, 18 birth registration certificates were issued in 40 North Patenga, 41 South Patenga and 16 Chawkbazar Wards of Chittagong City Corporation. However, the concerned ward councilors and birth registration assistants did not know anything about that registration. After the matter came to notice, three cases were registered in Patenga and Chawkbazar police stations in June of that year. The Counter Terrorism Unit of Chittagong Metropolitan Police (CMP) arrested Manihari shopkeeper Ashraful Alam of Sharsha Upazila of Jessore in December last year after investigating the case. Later, except Khalid from Gazipur Kapasia Upazila. Police got information about Arif and Khairul Islam of Dhaka. But none of them could be arrested.
During interrogation, Ashraful said that Khalid has the ID and password to enter the government server of birth registration. With this ID and password, he can add and correct birth registration information online at any address in the country. In return, the cycle takes from a minimum of one and a half to a maximum of 10,000 taka. The gang has created thousands of fake birth certificates including Rohingya.
Khalid’s circle is also suspected in the recent issue of 550 birth certificates in Chittagong. Police have already arrested four people. However, it could not be confirmed whether they belong to Khalid’s circle. Additional Deputy Commissioner of CMP Asif Mohiuddin told the media that whether this gang has any link with the previous gang, it will be known after the interrogation of the accused. We are on a mission now. Details will be given when the campaign is over.
Meanwhile, carelessness of ward councilors and registration assistants in using ID and password to access the birth registration server has also been blamed. After submitting the birth registration information to the assistant server, the councilor is supposed to approve the ‘external number’ using his ID and password. However, in reality, ID and password information of most ward councilors are in the hands of birth registration assistants. Ward councilor signs only after giving print of birth certificate. The GD done by Pahartali Ward number 13 also confirmed this.
Chasik Mayor Rezaul Karim Chowdhury warned about this in a meeting with councilors on Monday. Apart from this, the registration process has been stopped in 11 South Kattali and 41 North Patenga Wards. Councilor Mohammad Ismail said that a case will be filed regarding the issue of 409 birth certificates in Dakshin Kattali Ward.
Chasik Mayor told the media that the councilors have been told to be careful. Apart from this, the Chief Executive Officer of the City Corporation will meet with the Registrar General to take security measures for the server. Law enforcement forces have also been asked to take action.
