Episode: KPN 02-10-2026

Man suspected to be Rohingya detained while seeking voter registration in Rangpur

A 28-year-old man suspected by election officials to be a Rohingya refugee was detained after he went to the Pirganj Upazila Election Office in Rangpur seeking registration as a Bangladeshi voter, officials said.

The man, who identified himself as Shawkat Hossain, submitted a citizenship certificate, birth registration certificate and other required documents, claiming to be a resident of Jahangirabad village in Pachgachhi Union of Pirganj Upazila.

Election officials said they became suspicious after finding inconsistencies between his documents and statements during questioning.

Officials also asked Shawkat to recite Bangladesh’s national anthem, which he was unable to do.

Man says he travelled from Teknaf after promise of citizenship

According to election officials, Shawkat later said he had travelled to Pirganj from Teknaf in Cox’s Bazar with a person who had promised to arrange Bangladeshi citizenship documents for him and help send him abroad.

Shawkat told officials that the person accompanying him left him at the election office after deleting his own mobile phone number from Shawkat’s phone.

Authorities have not publicly identified that person.

Election officials verifying documents

Azizar Rahman, Pirganj Upazila Election Officer, confirmed the incident and said officials had found inconsistencies in the information and statements provided by Shawkat.

“He is initially suspected to be a Rohingya,” Azizar said.

He added that authorities were verifying the documents submitted with the voter registration application and investigating who had provided them.

The allegation that Shawkat is Rohingya has not been independently established, and officials described their assessment as preliminary.

Union official alleges signatures and seal were forged

Sultan Mondal, panel chairman of Pachgachhi Union Parishad, said the documents presented by Shawkat had not been issued by the union parishad.

“The signatures and seal of the union parishad on the documents had been forged,” he said.

Authorities are investigating how the documents were obtained and whether other individuals were involved in preparing or supplying them.

Police seek person who allegedly brought him from Teknaf

Nazmul Haque, officer-in-charge of Pirganj Police Station, said Shawkat was being held in police custody.

“Preliminary information suggests that he was brought to Pirganj from Teknaf through a local,” the officer-in-charge said.

Police were trying to identify and arrest the person allegedly involved, he added.

Nazmul said further legal action would be taken after police received a written complaint from the election office.

The incident has prompted an investigation into the origin of the documents and the people allegedly involved in attempting to secure voter registration for the detained man.

Tagged as: Arakan Army, Myanmar, Military navy, Kutupalong, Cox's Bazar, Rohingya boat people, Maungdaw, Military Council force, Rakhine, IIMM, Rathedaung, ARSA, Rohingya, war crimes, Rohingya Refugee, Camp schools, Akyab, ICC, Rohingya refugee camp, community schools, APBn, ICJ, RRRC, foods shortage, Balukhali, accountability, Sittwe, hungers, Bangadesh refugee camp, Bangladesh, Teknaf, ration cut, BGP, Genocide Convention, Burma-Bangladesh border, Arakan, RSO, Buthidaung, BGB, Burma, Malaysia going boat, IDP camp in Arakan.