A strange scheme to steal NID info

Krishnapad, 45, has spent his whole life in the coastal area of Swandip's Sontoshpur union and earned for his family and himself as a fisherman.

He would have to struggle for his little income due to the government ban on fishing and depend on aid from different sources.

In late 2018, a local came to their neighbourhood and told the fishermen that they would receive government aid if they provide a copy of their National ID and their biometric fingerprints.

Like Krishnapad, thousands of fishermen and poor people of Sontoshpur area have been providing their fingerprints and NID cards to the syndicate for two kgs of flour and two kgs of potatoes.

But this substantially small aid turned into their nightmare as a huge number of mobile SIMs were withdrawn using their NID cards and fingerprints.

Now these "unauthorized" SIM cards are active and those who provided their information don't know who are operating those.

A woman named Joshna Begum of the union lodged a General Diary with Sandwip Police Station on October 30, 2018, mentioning that 13 SIM cards were active against her NID, but police did not investigate the incident at that time.

Now more than two years later, six more victims of the Jaladas community yesterday submitted a memorandum to the Chattogram superintendent of police, detailing mobile SIM forgery against them by one Kefayat Ullah Khan of Sandwip.

Fisherman Sunil Chandra told The Daily Star, "Kefayat Ullah in the middle of October came to our area and said we would be given aid from the government and asked us to be present at Belal master's yard along with our NID cards.

"The next day, we went there and Kefayat took copies of our NIDs and fingerprints in an electronic device and then gave us a token and asked us to collect the aid from Jahir Sowdagor's grocery." 

Krishnapad said, "Like us, people from Dirghapar, Urirchar, and Gachhu unions also gave their fingerprints and NIDs to them and withdrew the aid. Three family members provided NID and fingerprints at that time.

"Back then, we had no idea what was waiting for us. After one year, we came to learn that using our fingerprints mobile SIMs were withdrawn.

"Against my NID and fingerprints, a total 14 SIMs were withdrawn which all are active. I came to learn that when I went to a local mobile shop to buy SIM cards for my family members."

Sunil said, "We failed to get the money which was disbursed earlier from the PM office during Covid-19 pandemic due to the SIM complications. Apart from that, opening bKash accounts to receive stipends for our children has also been halted."

Nikhil, another victim, said, "We don't know who is using the SIMs and for what purpose. We have assumed that the SIMs might have been used for anti-state conspiracies, so we came to the police for a solution."

Most of the victims said sometimes their used SIMs have also been inactive at times after the incident.

Local and political sources of Sandwip confirmed that Kefayet Ullah Khan alias Kefayat Khan introduced himself as the president of "Nowkar Notun Projonmo" of Chattogram city unit. But he is now in Sandwip and has no post in local politics in the area.

The sources also said Kefayat ran the syndicate in the name of giving aid to underprivileged people in remote areas.

Mosharraf Hossain Imrul, Union Parishad member of No.2 Sontoshpur Union Parishad, told the Daily Star, "After the incident, the victims came and informed us. I informed police but nothing was done."

Sunil said, "We are feeling insecure as we don't know who is running the SIMs, especially since Rohingya refugees recently move the Bhashan char near Sandwip from Cox's Bazar. In case of any criminal allegation by those using our information, we would be the ones accused!"

Chattogram's SP SM Rashidul Haque told The Daily Star, "After learning about the incident, I have ordered the Officer-in-Charge of Sandwip Police Station to take action in this regard after investigation."

"It's a very sensitive issue and criminals will be brought to book if we receive a written complaint."

This correspondent tried to reach the accused Kefayat but could not despite repeated attempts.