Staff Reporter :
The High Court on Monday wanted to know from the Dhaka University authorities how they preserve the PhD thesis submitted by the researchers and whether they use any software or advanced technology for the evaluation of those thesis papers.
The university authorities have been asked to comply with the order within two months.
The HC Bench of Justice JBM Hassan and Justice Md Khairul Alam passed the order after holding hearing on a writ petition filed in this regard.
Advocate Md Moniruzzaman took part in the hearing in support of the petition, while deputy attorney general ABM Abdullah Al Mahmud Bashar represented the state.
Moniruzzaman filed the petition with the HC on January 22 in 2020 annexing a newspaper cutting seeking directives over stopping forgery in awarding PhD and equivalent degrees.
On January 21, 2020, a Bangla daily published a report under the banner of “98 percent plagiarism in DU teacher’s PhD thesis”.
Later the Dhaka University authorities suspended the accused teacher from all kinds of administrative and academic activities after holding a syndicate meeting chaired by the vice chancellor on January 28 in 2020.
After holding primary hearing on the petition, the HC on February 4 in 2020 issued a ruling to explain as to why a direction should not be given upon the respondents for taking steps not to obtain PhD or equivalent thesis from any researchers in the way of forgery or other illegal way and to appoint ICT expert for scrutiny of the thesis proposals before final recommendation to prevent forgery.
Education secretary, Dhaka University vice chancellor and chairman of the University Grants Commission were asked to comply with the order and rule within four weeks.
In the order, the HC also directed the University Grants Commission (UGC) to submit a report to the court within three months exploring if the PhD and equivalent degrees are being approved in public and private universities according to UGC rules and regulations.
Complying with the order, the UGC on Monday submitted a report in the HC. The court passed order after holding hearing on the report.
The UGC report said, “The public universities of the country award higher degrees including MPhil and PhD in their own management as per their own laws, rules, regulations, statutes and policies. The commission has no role in this regard.”
“At present, there are 107 private universities in the country approved by the government. Among them, educational programs are being conducted in 97 private universities. The UGC has not given approval to conduct MPhil and PhD programs in any private university till the date,” also read the UGC report.
The accused teacher Abul Kalam Lutful Kabir, an associate professor in the department of Pharmaceutical Technology, was an assistant proctor at the university. Later the university authorities said in a press release that a probe body was formed to investigate the allegation raised against the teacher.
Deputy attorney general ABM Abdullah Al Mahmud Bashar said that HC had asked the DU authorities to submit the probe report of that committee to the court within 60 days.
The High Court on Monday wanted to know from the Dhaka University authorities how they preserve the PhD thesis submitted by the researchers and whether they use any software or advanced technology for the evaluation of those thesis papers.
The university authorities have been asked to comply with the order within two months.
The HC Bench of Justice JBM Hassan and Justice Md Khairul Alam passed the order after holding hearing on a writ petition filed in this regard.
Advocate Md Moniruzzaman took part in the hearing in support of the petition, while deputy attorney general ABM Abdullah Al Mahmud Bashar represented the state.
Moniruzzaman filed the petition with the HC on January 22 in 2020 annexing a newspaper cutting seeking directives over stopping forgery in awarding PhD and equivalent degrees.
On January 21, 2020, a Bangla daily published a report under the banner of “98 percent plagiarism in DU teacher’s PhD thesis”.
Later the Dhaka University authorities suspended the accused teacher from all kinds of administrative and academic activities after holding a syndicate meeting chaired by the vice chancellor on January 28 in 2020.
After holding primary hearing on the petition, the HC on February 4 in 2020 issued a ruling to explain as to why a direction should not be given upon the respondents for taking steps not to obtain PhD or equivalent thesis from any researchers in the way of forgery or other illegal way and to appoint ICT expert for scrutiny of the thesis proposals before final recommendation to prevent forgery.
Education secretary, Dhaka University vice chancellor and chairman of the University Grants Commission were asked to comply with the order and rule within four weeks.
In the order, the HC also directed the University Grants Commission (UGC) to submit a report to the court within three months exploring if the PhD and equivalent degrees are being approved in public and private universities according to UGC rules and regulations.
Complying with the order, the UGC on Monday submitted a report in the HC. The court passed order after holding hearing on the report.
The UGC report said, “The public universities of the country award higher degrees including MPhil and PhD in their own management as per their own laws, rules, regulations, statutes and policies. The commission has no role in this regard.”
“At present, there are 107 private universities in the country approved by the government. Among them, educational programs are being conducted in 97 private universities. The UGC has not given approval to conduct MPhil and PhD programs in any private university till the date,” also read the UGC report.
The accused teacher Abul Kalam Lutful Kabir, an associate professor in the department of Pharmaceutical Technology, was an assistant proctor at the university. Later the university authorities said in a press release that a probe body was formed to investigate the allegation raised against the teacher.
Deputy attorney general ABM Abdullah Al Mahmud Bashar said that HC had asked the DU authorities to submit the probe report of that committee to the court within 60 days.
