Criminal Investigation Department (CID) yesterday claimed they have obliterated the gang that has been involved in leaking questions papers of public examinations and other competitive examinations including those held for Bangladesh Civil Service, and public universities. Meanwhile, Education Minister Dipu Moni yesterday assured that there will be no question paper leaks during the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) and equivalent examinations that begin tomorrow.
The CID, during its briefing yesterday, claimed the gang used to cater to job-seekers and admission-seekers in exchange of money. The CID made the claim yesterday after they arrested nine persons in connection with question paper leaks. “In all, 46 members of this gang have been held so far. With the recent arrests, we've completely uprooted the group,” said CID special superintendent Molla Nazrul Islam.
“It has amassed almost Tk 30 crore through question paper leak,” he added.
The arrested persons are: Hafizur Rahman, Abdur Rahman Ramiz, Rimon Hossain, Saidur Rahman Sayeed, Mohaiminul Islam, Masud Rahman Tajul, Jahangir Alam, Mosharraf Hossain Mosa and Ashim Biswas.
"We'll take effective action against all wrongdoings, including question paper leak, committed by the members of this group with united efforts," said CID additional inspector general Sheikh Hemayet Hossain.
The CID said the nine persons were arrested last week. Among them, three are students of Dhaka University’s pharmacy department and one is a student of Green University.
A certain quarter used to leak questions of different exams. Another collected the solutions on the test day and then provided the answers to the candidates with the help of digital devices.
The CID has already identified the gang and arrested the perpetrators. Recently, it has arrested the digital device fraud gang.
On October 19, 2017, the CID conducted a drive in Dhaka University and arrested two persons—Rana and Mamun—in connection with question paper leak. After that, it also arrested another person named Rafi.
Later, on receiving information from the arrestees, the CID arrested seven more persons who had taken admission to Dhaka University. During primary interrogation, they said that question papers were leaked before exams.
The mastermind of this gang was Rakibul Hasan, a sports official of Natore district. Later, the CID arrested 28 of the gang members.
This gang was active from 2015 and 2016; it trained admission-seekers on ways to cheat in an exam in a Savar house. Examinees used to communicate with the gang members with the help of a tiny ear-piece, which was supplied to them by the gang.
Recently, the CID arrested the ring leader of the group, BKSP assistant director Alip Kumar Biswas, BADC assistant administrative officer Mostafa Kamal, government school teacher Ibrahim and 38th BCS preliminary exams qualified Ayub Ali Badha. It also arrested some schoolteachers and staff members for “helping the gang”.
They are Golam Mohammad Babul, an English teacher at Agrani School in the capital's Azimpur, Anwar Hossain Mazumder and Nurul Islam, both office assistants of the school, Hosne Ara Begum, social science teacher at Dhanmondi Government Boys' School, and Hasmat Ali Shikder, an office assistant of that school.
Alip Kumar Biswas was the mastermind behind the admission test fraud in various universities including Dhaka University. In the last few years, he earned Tk. 3 crore through fraud. On the other hand, Ibrahim, Mostafa and Bandhan are the main players behind leaking questions of BCS exams including all government recruitment exams. The CID has found cash and assets worth Tk. 10 crore from four of them.
“We have been pursuing this group since 2017. We tracked this group. And now, we have uprooted this ring completely,” said Molla Nazrul Islam.
A lawsuit has been filed against the nine arrested persons, CID sources said.
In December 2017, the CID arrested a printing press worker, who used to help the gang by leaking questions hours before exams.
Over the years, question papers of all public exams—JSC, SSC, HSC, medical college and university admission tests, and government banks' recruitment exams—were leaked at some point.
The trend of leaking question papers hit a new high with the leaks in this year's SSC exam.
Education Minister Dipu Moni, while briefing reporters on the examinations, at the secretariat, said her ministry has taken stringent measures to prevent the leakage of question papers, urging teachers, students and guardians not to pay heed to any rumour, adds UNB.
The monitoring cell of Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) will work to stop the spread of rumours, Dr Dipu Moni said.
She also warned that police will take action if any coaching centre remains open defying government order.
As per the government order, the coaching centres across the country will remain closed from January 27 to February 27 to facilitate the fair holding of the SSC and equivalent examinations.
This year, a total of 2,135,333 students, including 1,070,441 boys and 1,064,892 girls, are expected to appear at the examinations from 28,682 institutions in 3,497 centres.
Of them, 1,700,102 will sit for the SSC examination under eight general education boards while 310,172 for Dakhil exam under the Madrasah Education Board and 125,059 for vocational exam under the Bangladesh Technical Education Board.
A total of 434 students will sit for the examinations from eight overseas centres as well.
The written examinations will continue until February 26 while the practical examination will be held from February 27 to March 5.