The High Court (HC) yesterday cancelled the written examination for the recruitment of executive officers of Janata Bank as the allegations of question paper leak turned out to be true. It directed the government to hold the examination again as early as possible.

The HC bench, comprising Justice Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury and Justice Md Iqbal Kabir, came up with the directive after disposing of a writ petition filed by 15 candidates, who had appeared in the written test held on April 21 last year. They had challenged the legality of holding the examination after question papers had been leaked before the exam.

The writ petitioners had appealed to the HC to cancel the examination and order re-examination. The Bankers’ Selection Committee published the job notice for the posts in March 2016. In total, 10,150 candidates, out of 250,000, cleared the preliminary test held on March 24.

On April 21 last year, around 9,400 candidates sat for the two-hour-long written test at the examination centres of Eden College, Lalmatia College and Ideal College.

In response to the petition filed on May 22, 2017, the HC stayed the publication of the result for three months and all further proceedings.

It also issued a rule asking the authorities to explain why their failure to investigate the allegation of a question paper leak and the holding of the test should not be declared illegal.

The finance secretary, law secretary, Bangladesh Bank governor, Bangladesh Bankers' Association president, Selection Committee chairman, Dhaka University (DU) vice-chancellor, DU's Social Science Faculty dean, and Janata Bank managing director were made respondents to the rule.

After the final hearing on the rule, the HC bench yesterday came up with the verdict and disposed of the petition. Barrister Jyotirmoy Barua, counsel for the petitioners, welcomed the ruling, as the allegations of question paper leak has been found to be true. “The HC has delivered the verdict and ordered re-examination as the allegation of leakage of question paper has been found true.”

He mentioned that the Dhaka University Social Science Faculty organised the written test for the post of the senior officer of Janata Bank. The question paper was leaked just before the test, he added.