Parties hunting voter NIDs, phone numbers in slums

Campaigners from major political parties have been collecting voters’ national identity (NID) details and mobile phone numbers while canvassing in several slum areas of Dhaka ahead of the election, residents said.

Many residents said Jamaat-e-Islami campaigners seeking votes for Jamaat’s Daripalla (balancing scale) symbol asked for NID details, sometimes along with phone numbers. 

Several slum residents said BNP activists too collected NID photocopies or phone numbers during campaigning in some areas.

The Election Commission at a press release on January 22 said it had learned that certain individuals were collecting voters’ personal information and NID details ahead of the February 12 national polls. 

The commission warned that carrying, collecting, or transferring another person’s NID information, as well as promising donations during campaigns, are punishable offences under the law.

Over the last week, this correspondent visited Bhashantek, Kafrul, Mirpur, Korail, Mohakhali Sat Tala and Tejgaon slums and spoke to at least 50 residents. 

They said the trend of political activists collecting data, mainly NID information and, in some cases, phone numbers and mobile financial service numbers, had continued for weeks before declining in the beginning of the fourth week of January, when several incidents drew the attention of the authorities.

Many reported that individuals seeking votes for Jamaat went door to door asking to see NID cards and, in some instances, requested mobile numbers.

Rubina, 59, a resident of the Bhashantek Benarasi Palli field area, said that on January 21, two people came to her home asking for votes for Daripalla and requested her NID card. “When I showed it, they took photos of it on their mobile phones,” she said.

Rahela Begum, 53, of Comilla Patti in Bhashantek Slum No. 1, said that about a month ago, people claiming to be campaigners for Jamaat and another group from BNP came to her home and asked to see her NID. Both groups took photos of her NID on their phones.

In the same area, 66-year-old Mossammat Rokeya said a group gathered several men and women in the slum about two weeks ago. “Those who were voters were asked to show their NID cards and give their mobile numbers,” she said. She did not provide her card as it was not with her at the time.

Munni Begum, also a resident of Bhashantek Slum No. 1, said a group of 10 to 12 people went door to door on January 21, seeking votes and collecting NID numbers. She said she challenged the group’s motive, leading to an argument.

“Young men from the BNP who were nearby came over and questioned the group about seeking NID photocopies and phone numbers,” Munni said. Locals then informed the police and the administration, and police and army personnel later arrived there and took the group away.

Officer-in-Charge Aslam Hossain of Bhashantek Police Station confirmed that on January 21, locals handed over eight men and four women to the police. “During questioning, they said they were collecting voter ID card details and mobile numbers from different voters,” he said.

Niloy Rahman, assistant commissioner (Land) of the Gulshan circle, said the detainees told officials they were conducting an election survey and were not campaigning for any side.

However, a police officer, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the detainees could not produce any document from the EC or other authorities authorising them to conduct a survey. They were released after signing a bond, as police found no evidence of forced collection.

In Kafrul and Mirpur, BNP candidate for Dhaka-15 Shafiqul Islam Milton said tensions flared several times over requests for NID cards. He alleged that Jamaat activists faced public resistance at least four times, adding that the Jamaat ameer of Kafrul thana later apologised publicly and promised not to repeat the activity. A video clip of the local Jamaat ameer apologising spread online at the time.

Clashes were also reported in South Pirerbagh on January 20, after Jamaat activists allegedly went door to door asking for NID details.

Idris Ali, former general secretary of the Haven Tower Flat Owners’ Association, said residents protested after campaigners ignored restrictions on entering homes to seek documents.

At Mohakhali Sat Tala slum, Selina Begum said groups enter the slum every one or two days, sometimes identifying as political activists and other times as NGO staffers. She said both Jamaat and BNP activists recently collected phone numbers and NID details.

Md Hasan, 65, a resident of Korail’s Ershadnagar, said that in recent days, BNP activists collected NID photocopies while distributing blankets.

Rana Ahmed, senior joint convener of the Banani thana BNP, said “some parties” are collecting this information in slums as proof of outreach.

“Those collecting the information told us that they had to prove to their superiors that they had campaigned for the party,” he said.

BNP Standing Committee member Selima Rahman, who is also a member of the party’s election steering committee, said she was not aware of BNP activists seeking voters’ NID details.

“We’ve asked the party activists to avoid such activities. We’re continuing our campaign,” she told this newspaper yesterday.

Jamaat central leaders could not be reached for comments about the matter despite repeated attempts. 

Ahsanul Mahboob Zubair, Jamaat assistant secretary general and lead of its publicity wing; Maolana ATM Masum, assistant secretary general and head of its national election steering committee; and Maolana Abdul Halim, assistant secretary general and member secretary of the committee, did not respond to The Daily Star’s calls and text messages over the matter last night.