Biologically alive, officially dead

The Report Desk

Published: January 15, 2022, 07:18 PM

Biologically alive, officially dead

Abdus Samad alias Toka is lives at Wari in Old Dhaka. Once he was an active activist of anti-autocratic movement in the early 90s. Having poetic and creative mind, Samad oblivious failed to complete his bachelor degree from Jagannath College.

However, being alive biologically Samad is now dead officially.

He says, his relatives managed official documents showing him dead to grab his (Samad) land.

Samad said, he was beaten, threatened several times to sell his land to developers. But he never agreed. After her parents and two elder brothers died Samad was sent to mental hospital by his relatives.

Later his cousin, Sheuly Akter who works as a school techer, lodged a complaint with the local election commission office and managed admin to issue death certificate.   

Samad went various government office to prove himself alive. But, still the efforts brought no fruit.

Samad said, when he tried to open his Tax Identification Number (TIN) number for buying saving certificate, he found his NID card defunct.

After queries with multiple election office Samad came to know that he is officially dead.

Abdus Samad was born on 27 December 1975. His NID number is 19752698876303058. Father-late Sekandor Akand and mother Rahima Begum.

Dhaka District election commission office says, a woman, Sheuly Akter, filed an application to delete his uncle’s (Samad) name on 9 September in 2017.

Abdus Salam died on 3 April in 2017, the application read.

An election official in Sutrapur said, we do not delete names based on application filed by anyone. Samad’s name was deactivated based on Sheuly’s application.

Asked on whether any NID card can be deactivated in such a way, the official said, “Several false allegations have been reported recently. We will inform any future application to the higher authorities if any application is filed.”

A spokesperson of Agargaon election office said, “If he (Samad) appears the office in-person we can verify his fingerprint and if false we can activate the NID.”

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