SOME English dailies reported on Thursday how a Chhatra League leader of the Dhaka University forged the signature of the Vice-Chancellor (VC) to get admission of two children at primary level to the university affiliated laboratory school for money and how a female student attempted to get admission to the Department of Archaeology of Jahangirnagar University with a counterfeit freedom fighter’s certificate. The news items appeared highly shocking but made public an open secret often resorted to but remained unreported.
In the first incident, as the report said, the ruling party affiliated varsity BCL’s student affairs secretary made a deal with parents of two children to secure their admission to Class I in Laboratory School and College in exchange for Tk 80,000. To make his case strong, he created two recommendation letters and forged the VC’s signature and then attached the letters with admission forms. The principal however sensed something wrong and sought VC’s clarification only to unearthed the evil step behind it. He was later arrested on VC’s advice although his accomplices fled away. The other report on the same day made the disclosure about how the female student paid Tk 3.9 lakh to an admission official of the Jahangirnagar University to get her enrollment. But her fraud was detected when she failed to produce a copy of her father’s freedom fighter’s certificate and a copy of the government gazette in this respect.
We must say the two cases are evidence of illegal and fraudulent activities, which are practiced in leading public academic institutions, sometimes with success and sometimes without. We are sure that these are not stray incidents but often left unnoticed. One would wonder why such frauds go unnoticed and after careful analysis of such cases it may appear that some employees in the admission office are abusing their posts and power to mind illegal money by facilitating admission to students without having required results. Authorities in many institutions often put a blind eye if powerful persons like ruling party men get themselves involved in the process. But it is highly unethical and should not be allowed to happen.
We must say both the incidents came as eye opener to how vested interest quarters and specially ruling party cadres are attempting to misuse government run academic institutions and making illegal money by demonstration of force. It is often noticeable that ruling party activists act in their private capacity and use their patronization by big leaders for political reasons. But it earns bad name to all. We are happy that the Dhaka University VC has sent the mischief-maker to police custody and Jahangirnagar University has foiled the move. Vigilance is all that is important in such cases.
In the first incident, as the report said, the ruling party affiliated varsity BCL’s student affairs secretary made a deal with parents of two children to secure their admission to Class I in Laboratory School and College in exchange for Tk 80,000. To make his case strong, he created two recommendation letters and forged the VC’s signature and then attached the letters with admission forms. The principal however sensed something wrong and sought VC’s clarification only to unearthed the evil step behind it. He was later arrested on VC’s advice although his accomplices fled away. The other report on the same day made the disclosure about how the female student paid Tk 3.9 lakh to an admission official of the Jahangirnagar University to get her enrollment. But her fraud was detected when she failed to produce a copy of her father’s freedom fighter’s certificate and a copy of the government gazette in this respect.
We must say the two cases are evidence of illegal and fraudulent activities, which are practiced in leading public academic institutions, sometimes with success and sometimes without. We are sure that these are not stray incidents but often left unnoticed. One would wonder why such frauds go unnoticed and after careful analysis of such cases it may appear that some employees in the admission office are abusing their posts and power to mind illegal money by facilitating admission to students without having required results. Authorities in many institutions often put a blind eye if powerful persons like ruling party men get themselves involved in the process. But it is highly unethical and should not be allowed to happen.
We must say both the incidents came as eye opener to how vested interest quarters and specially ruling party cadres are attempting to misuse government run academic institutions and making illegal money by demonstration of force. It is often noticeable that ruling party activists act in their private capacity and use their patronization by big leaders for political reasons. But it earns bad name to all. We are happy that the Dhaka University VC has sent the mischief-maker to police custody and Jahangirnagar University has foiled the move. Vigilance is all that is important in such cases.
