bdnews24.com :
Anyone seeking a service at the National Identity (NID) Registration Wing office can bargain for a torrid time.
Swindlers in collusion with some NID Wing staff of the Election Commission are fleecing money from unsuspecting people every day.
This correspondent a few days ago visited the office at the Islamic Foundation building in Agargaon where all the NID-related activities take place. There, he met Nowrin Jahan (not real name), a private university teacher, who had been trapped by a swindler.
She had lived abroad since 2007. When she returned home early this year, she started facing problems for not having her NID. Introduced not until 2008, the NID is required for opening bank accounts, obtaining passports and for many other purposes as a proof of identity.
“I do not have my national ID card since I was abroad all this while. That is why I have come here,” Nowrin told this news agency. She had previously visited the office a few times but returned on finding crowds of service seekers there.
“It is crowded today as well and the staff is busy. As I was waiting for my turn, someone came to me, introduced himself as an office staff
and inquired about the service I was seeking.
“Then he said, he could get me the national ID card quickly if I give him Tk 1,000 with photocopies of the documents I had with me.
“I said, ‘Why do I have to pay the money?’ He said if I gave him the money, I would get the ID card within a day. Or else, I would have to wait for three months.” Suspicious of the man, Nowrin contacted the officials and came to know that no new ID cards would be issued before January next year.
Asif-uz-Zaman studies at a private university in Dhaka.
While waiting in queue for his turn, he told this correspondent how he had been cheated by the swindlers at NID wing office. “I had lost my ID card and come here with a copy of the general diary (GD) filed with the police in this connection.
“It was very crowded on the day. When I showed the GD copy to a peon and asked him where to go, he sent me to a man downstairs. I complied. “That man filled up my application papers, told where to go next and took Tk 100 from me. The money I had to pay is not the issue. What matters here is why I was sent to a con man when the application form was available at the office.”
The NID Wing officials admitted to the existence of such malpractices within the office premises.
“Some unscrupulous staffs have joined hands with the frauds,” said an official, preferring anonymity.
“The number of swindlers was far bigger than what you see now. They would line up on the footpath in front of the office with desks and chairs, and took money from service seekers on different pretexts.”
Director (Operations) Syed Muhammad Musa of the NID Wing said he too was aware of the allegations.
Anyone seeking a service at the National Identity (NID) Registration Wing office can bargain for a torrid time.
Swindlers in collusion with some NID Wing staff of the Election Commission are fleecing money from unsuspecting people every day.
This correspondent a few days ago visited the office at the Islamic Foundation building in Agargaon where all the NID-related activities take place. There, he met Nowrin Jahan (not real name), a private university teacher, who had been trapped by a swindler.
She had lived abroad since 2007. When she returned home early this year, she started facing problems for not having her NID. Introduced not until 2008, the NID is required for opening bank accounts, obtaining passports and for many other purposes as a proof of identity.
“I do not have my national ID card since I was abroad all this while. That is why I have come here,” Nowrin told this news agency. She had previously visited the office a few times but returned on finding crowds of service seekers there.
“It is crowded today as well and the staff is busy. As I was waiting for my turn, someone came to me, introduced himself as an office staff
and inquired about the service I was seeking.
“Then he said, he could get me the national ID card quickly if I give him Tk 1,000 with photocopies of the documents I had with me.
“I said, ‘Why do I have to pay the money?’ He said if I gave him the money, I would get the ID card within a day. Or else, I would have to wait for three months.” Suspicious of the man, Nowrin contacted the officials and came to know that no new ID cards would be issued before January next year.
Asif-uz-Zaman studies at a private university in Dhaka.
While waiting in queue for his turn, he told this correspondent how he had been cheated by the swindlers at NID wing office. “I had lost my ID card and come here with a copy of the general diary (GD) filed with the police in this connection.
“It was very crowded on the day. When I showed the GD copy to a peon and asked him where to go, he sent me to a man downstairs. I complied. “That man filled up my application papers, told where to go next and took Tk 100 from me. The money I had to pay is not the issue. What matters here is why I was sent to a con man when the application form was available at the office.”
The NID Wing officials admitted to the existence of such malpractices within the office premises.
“Some unscrupulous staffs have joined hands with the frauds,” said an official, preferring anonymity.
“The number of swindlers was far bigger than what you see now. They would line up on the footpath in front of the office with desks and chairs, and took money from service seekers on different pretexts.”
Director (Operations) Syed Muhammad Musa of the NID Wing said he too was aware of the allegations.
