Local Correspondent ; Bandarban — The government has temporarily suspended a Union Parishad (UP) chairman and three general members in Bandarban’s Alikadam Upazila following primary verification of allegations that they assisted Rohingya individuals in illegally joining the Bangladeshi voter list.
The representatives allegedly issued counterfeit citizenship certificates and falsified attestations stating that the applicants were not of Rohingya origin.
In addition to the immediate suspensions, the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives has issued a formal show-cause notice to the accused public servants, ordering them to submit a written explanation within 10 working days.
The official order was finalized via a gazette notification issued by the Local Government Division on July 12.
Serious Breaches of National Security Alleged
According to the ministerial notification, the preliminary administrative probe unearthed substantial evidence linking the public representatives to fraudulent activities during the Voter List Update Programme-2025.
The officials stand accused of abusing their executive powers, engineering forgery, assisting in illegal voter registrations through incomplete data, and engaging in activities detrimental to state security.
The suspended public officials have been identified as:
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Md. Nasir Uddin, Chairman of No. 1 Alikadam Sadar Union Parishad
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Santosh Kanti Das, General Member of Ward No. 2
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Jaker Hossain, General Member of Ward No. 5
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Abdul Matin, General Member of Ward No. 6
The Local Government Division clarified that allowing the Chairman to remain in his post during the ongoing legal process was administratively untenable given the gravity of the accusations.
The swift disciplinary action was executed in the public interest under sections 34(1), 34(4)(b), and 34(4)(d) of the Local Government (Union Parishad) Act, 2009.
Next Administrative Steps
Local authorities have clarified that the current measures represent an interim step while the statutory investigation takes its course.
“This is a temporary suspension, not a permanent dismissal. The accused have been given 10 working days to respond to the show-cause notice.”
— Md. Monjur Alam, Alikadam Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO)
The UNO further added that the matter has been thoroughly briefed to the Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Bandarban, and subsequent administrative steps—including the potential appointment of an administrator for the Alikadam Sadar Union Parishad—will follow the DC’s core directives.
Growing Local Concerns Over Electoral Integrity
The government’s hardline stance against the localized syndicate has sparked intense discussion and scrutiny across Alikadam.
Local residents have widely welcomed the intervention, viewing it as a necessary step to protect national demographic security.
Community members are now demanding an exhaustive, transparent investigation to expose any remaining facilitators.
They emphasize that preserving the absolute credibility of the national voter database remains paramount, requiring exemplary punishment for anyone found compromising state systems for personal gain.