Demand for Nahid removal over question leak grows
Harun ur Rashid
Amid the widespread leak of question papers, the demand for removal of the education minister has grown stronger both in Parliament and among civil society members.
The minister has been facing intense criticism over question paper leak in all exams, particularly in the ongoing Secondary School Certificate (SSC) and equivalent exams.
Many people, including politicians, academicians and civil society members, are demanding that he should resign accepting failure to stop question leak.
In the latest development yesterday (Wednesday), a Supreme Court lawyer, Advocate Eunus Ali Akanda, sent a legal notice to President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, seeking Nahids removal within 24 hours.
The education minister has no right to hold the position as he has not been able to check question paper leak. As per Article 56(2) of the Constitution, a non-Parliament member, who is a scholar and has made great contributions to the education sector, can be appointed as education minister, the notice said.
The notice also said that according to Article 102 of the Constitution, a writ petition will be filed before the High Court if the authorities fail to take steps within 24 hours.
On February 5, a Jatiya Party lawmaker in Parliament, Ziauddin Ahmed Bablu, on Point of Order, urged Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to relieve education minister Nurul Islam Nahid of his duties.
Bablu condemned the random leak of question papers in different exams. His call for removal of Nahid was greeted by other lawmakers.
The number of educational institutes is on the rise. More students are obtaining GPA-5. Yet they cannot write correct Bangla or English. There are people who cannot even write a job application after passing the HSC exams, Bablu said.
Venting his anger over allegations of question paper leak, Bablu pointed out that despite the education ministry announcing a bounty of Tk. 5 lakh for information on question paper leak, such leaks continue unabated. Some people openly claimed on Facebook that they could sell SSC question papers.
He said: The education ministry announced Tk. 5 lakh bounty for information on those involved in question paper leak. But the next day, a Facebook user bearing the name Tushar Shuvro was found asking huge sums of money for SSC question papers. How can such things happen openly? The education minister has asked people to take bribe of a minimal amount. How can he be in the chair after saying this? He, in fact, encouraged bribery when he said that. How will leak of question papers be stopped then?
Deputy Speaker Fazle Rabbi Mia, who was chairing the session, then said: The Prime Minister will do whatever she thinks is best in the interest of the nation.
The next day, on February 6, a lawmaker of the Chittagong constituency, Shamsul Hoque, said in Parliament that Nahids resignation would offer no tangible solution to the rampant question paper leak. In addition, on Tuesday last, prominent writer Prof. Muhammad Zafar Iqbal told the media that the resignation of the education minister will not prevent the leak of questions. Resignation is not a solution, he added.
Education will mean nothing in this country if question leaks continue. Its imperative for the government to stop it, Iqbal, a professor of Shahjalal Universitys computer science department, added.
Former professor of the Institute of Education and Research (IER), University of Dhaka, Siddiqur Rahman, who was also a member of the committee for formulating the National Education Policy, told The Independent that when a minister fails to prevent widespread question paper leak, he should resign.
When questions are leaked, its very dangerous for the nation as it would cripple the total education system. If the incumbent minister fails to carry out his duty, he should resign. At least we have to save our education and our children, he added.
So far, eight papers of the SSC exams were held and all papers were leaked just before the exams.
On February 1, Kha set of questions of the multiple choice questions (MCQ) of Bangla I paper were allegedly leaked one hour before the exams on Facebook. On February 3, Kha set of questions of the MCQ of Bangla II paper were leaked. On February 5, Ka set of questions of English I paper were leaked; on February 7 Kha set of questions of English II paper were leaked.
On February 8, the Kha set of MCQs of Islam and ethical education were leaked. On February 10, Kha set of mathematics questions were leaked. On Feb 11, the Ka set of ICT exam questions were leaked. On February 13, the Ga set of Physics questions were allegedly leaked.
The ministry took a number of initiatives, such as banning mobile phones in the vicinity of the exam centres, halting Internet service, announcing Tk. 5 lakh bounty for information about persons involved in the leak and closing coaching centres to plug question paper leak. But nothing came of these measures.
The government even formed an 11-member committee, headed by a secretary, but it is yet to submit any report on the question leak . Eight days remain for the exams to end.
Education ministry sources said the committee would submit its findings to the education minister on February 18.
Earlier, education minister Nurul Islam Nahid had said the exams would be cancelled whenever they would find proof of question leak before or after the exams.
As the committee has not yet submitted its findings, no decision to cancel the exams has been taken.
