bdnews24.com :
The Bangladesh Government Press has been facing allegations of question paper leak but the authorities have not yet taken steps to plug possible loopholes.
Although BG Press’s responsibility was proven in the question leak of a government recruitment exam in 2010, its internal regulations have remained unchanged.
The printing of questions of various public and recruitment examinations take a long time at the government press in the absence of modern printing facilities.
It has already started printing the 2015 Secondary School Certificate questions and the job is expected to take 62 days to complete. The public exam will be held on Feb 2 next year.
BG Press deputy director Nazrul Islam said the 260 workers who work in the confidential section were appointed in the same way as the others.
“They enter the secret branch at 7am. The gate is under constant police surveillance. The police along with the organisation’s officials search the workers on their way out at night.”
Constant surveillance is also done with the help of 32 closed-circuit cameras.
Despite the 2010 leak revealing that police were linked with the confidential branch workers, Nazrul Islam claimed there was ‘no way’ the questions could have been leaked from the government press.
Nazrul also said the search procedure had been added after the 2010 incident following which several employees were sacked.
However, another BG Press official complained that the search was not performed regularly. Moreover, some officials had also been mentioned as possible suspects in the mass media, suggesting that merely keeping an eye on the press workers was not a sufficient safeguard.
Confidential wing workers, police and even trade union leaders could also be involved in leaking questions, the official added on the condition of anonymity.
“A proper investigation would spill the beans. At times, the officials are not present with the police at the gate.”
Nazrul said the wearing of under garments was prohibited for the workers once they entered the confidential section.
The Bangladesh Government Press has been facing allegations of question paper leak but the authorities have not yet taken steps to plug possible loopholes.
Although BG Press’s responsibility was proven in the question leak of a government recruitment exam in 2010, its internal regulations have remained unchanged.
The printing of questions of various public and recruitment examinations take a long time at the government press in the absence of modern printing facilities.
It has already started printing the 2015 Secondary School Certificate questions and the job is expected to take 62 days to complete. The public exam will be held on Feb 2 next year.
BG Press deputy director Nazrul Islam said the 260 workers who work in the confidential section were appointed in the same way as the others.
“They enter the secret branch at 7am. The gate is under constant police surveillance. The police along with the organisation’s officials search the workers on their way out at night.”
Constant surveillance is also done with the help of 32 closed-circuit cameras.
Despite the 2010 leak revealing that police were linked with the confidential branch workers, Nazrul Islam claimed there was ‘no way’ the questions could have been leaked from the government press.
Nazrul also said the search procedure had been added after the 2010 incident following which several employees were sacked.
However, another BG Press official complained that the search was not performed regularly. Moreover, some officials had also been mentioned as possible suspects in the mass media, suggesting that merely keeping an eye on the press workers was not a sufficient safeguard.
Confidential wing workers, police and even trade union leaders could also be involved in leaking questions, the official added on the condition of anonymity.
“A proper investigation would spill the beans. At times, the officials are not present with the police at the gate.”
Nazrul said the wearing of under garments was prohibited for the workers once they entered the confidential section.
