More areas under EC scrutiny for Rohingya voters

Despite the Election Commission's (EC) efforts to prevent 'intruders' from inclusion in the voter list, reports of Rohingyas trying to become voters in Bangladesh continues to filter in.

The EC, in its plan to stop this, is planning to expand the area it designates as "Rohingya-inhabited special area" .

Under the ongoing nationwide updating of the voter list, voter information has been sspecially ollected from almost 400 Upazilas.

Election Commissioner Abdul Mobarak said the Rohingya refugees continue their efforts to become voters.

"Already we're using special forms in 14 Upazilas in three border districts. Despite all this extra supervision some people are trying to become voters," he said.

He said EC officials, while inspecting a rolls updating at Patiya, Chittagong, found a Rohingya settlement there recently.

Commissioner Abdul Mobarak told the EC meeting that he has learned about the presence of a Rohingya settlement in Patiya and some Rohingya voters as well.

The commissioner said the concerned local-level election officials did not take any steps to include those places in the "special areas" category for special vigil.

He suggested at the meeting that field-level EC officials should be more cautious about voter registration in Rohingya areas and much monitoring is needed.

File Photo

Cox's Bazar's Sadar, Chakaria, Teknaf, Ramu, Pekua, Ukhia, Kutubdia and Maheshkhali, Bandarban's Sadar, Ali Kadam, Lama and Naikkhangchharhi and Rangamati's Bilaichharhi and Kaptai were earlier considered Rohingya-inhabited, but now the EC is adding Patiya to the list.

The chief election commissioner told the EC meeting : "If needed we can expand the Rohingya-inhabited special area. Through monitoring we have to push the field-level officials who aren't performing well."

Last year, while updating the electoral rolls, the EC identified 17,000 people as Rohingyas and expunged them .

EC officials said the voter list updating would continue until November.

If the commission decides to issue new instructions within that time it will be conveyed to the field-level.