Nayan Mandal, who works as a driver for Daraz Bangladesh, currently holds the post of joint secretary in the 789-member committee of the Dhaka North unit of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD), the student wing of BNP.He faces allegations that he secured the JCD position using a certificate allegedly prepared at a computer shop in Rampura for Tk 600, despite not having attended primary school.There are also allegations that Mandal used his JCD position to exert influence with BNP leaders at different levels. Recently, he allegedly used his political identity in connection with the appointment of fertiliser dealers, including in dealings with the Fulchhari upazila nirbahi officer (UNO) and the deputy commissioner of Gaibandha.An NSI report related to the fertiliser dealer appointment says Mandal is a permanent resident of Ghoraghat upazila. His family has reportedly been living there for the past 10 to 12 years after losing their home to river erosion. The report says he has neither a home nor a business in Fulchhari. However, according to voter information, he is registered as a voter of Ward 8 of Erendabari Union, an area affected by river erosion in Fulchhari upazila.Abdus Salam Sarker, general secretary of Fulchhari upazila BNP, said he did not personally know Mandal. He said Mandal had called him regarding the appointment of fertiliser dealers and introduced himself as an assistant general secretary of the central JCD, allegedly attempting to exert influence.Later, they found that Mandal was not a central JCD leader but a joint secretary of the Dhaka North unit of JCD, he said.According to Salam, Mandal has neither a business nor a residence in Fulchhari. His name was therefore dropped from the list at a meeting of the upazila fertiliser dealer committee before recommendations were sent to the district authorities. He said he was surprised to later hear that Mandal's name had been forwarded to the ministry.According to local sources, Mandal came to Dhaka around 2008-09 in search of work. He initially worked as the personal driver of Awami League leader and Nitol-Niloy Group chairman Abdul Matlub Ahmad. After working there until 2016, he joined online supermarket Daraz Bangladesh as a driver in August that year.Lt Col (retd) Mostafa Zaman Khan, chief administrative officer of Daraz, said Mandal is still employed by the company.In 2021, after Jasim Shikder Rana became convener of the Dhaka North JCD, Mandal established contact with him. He allegedly concealed his profession as a driver and introduced himself as a JCD activist of Government Titumir College. He later became joint convener of the Banani thana JCD convening committee.An investigation into the matter claims that the SSC certificate Mandal submitted to that committee had been prepared at a computer shop in Rampura for Tk 600.Ashraful Islam, who was the convener of the Banani thana JCD committee at the time and is now a vice-president of the Dhaka North JCD, said Mandal's SSC certificate was found to be fake at the time.He alleged that Mandal was nevertheless kept on the committee due to pressure from senior leaders.Ashraful said he did not know Mandal before the committee was formed. According to him, Mandal was seen at only one programme during the following one and a half to two years. He said, to his knowledge, Mandal still works as an inter-district truck driver for Daraz.Salahuddin, president of Dhaka North JCD, said if Mandal is found to be working as a driver and to have secured his position using a fake certificate, the organisation will take action after collecting appropriate evidence.He also said organisational and legal action would be taken if there were evidence that Mandal had used his position to obtain unfair advantages or threaten anyone.Mahfuzur Rahman Lipkon, general secretary of Dhaka North JCD, said it was not possible for the leadership to personally know everyone in such a large committee. He said he did not know Mandal.However, if the allegations of concealing information and obtaining the position using a fake certificate were found to be true, the matter would be serious and action would be taken quickly if evidence was found, he said.JCD General Secretary Nasir Uddin Nasir said someone working as a driver could not be involved with JCD and could join another organisation instead. He also said there was no scope for joining JCD by concealing one's identity. He said he would comment on the other allegations later.Several attempts were made to contact JCD President Rakibul Islam, but he did not answer the calls. Attempts were also made to contact Nayan Mandal for his comments on the allegations, but he did not answer the phone. His comments could therefore not be obtained.