Dhaka University (DU) formed an investigation committee following corruption allegations. But months are passing without any activity of the committee members. Also the administration remains indifferent to enforcement, raising questions about institutional accountability.
On January 13 this year, allegations emerged that Shamsunnahar, a temporary employee in the Transcript Section working in room 310(B) of the Examinations Control Office, demanded TK 5,000 from a medical student for urgent certificate issuance.
She claimed to be part of a syndicate and named Md. Masud Karim, Chief Assistant of the office of the Exam Controller, as the main organiser.
The investigation committee was formed following the allegation. But after nearly three months, the committee has not held a single meeting.
In this regard Registrar Munshi Shams Uddin Ahmed told The Daily Observer he talked to Controller of Examinations Dr. Himadri Shekhar Chakraborty about the matter. But he said he knows nothing about it and suggesting contacting Dr. Himadri for details.
Controller of Examinations confirmed that the committee includes Social Sciences Faculty's Assistant Proctor Mohammad Mahbub Quaisar and Institute of Education and Research's (IER) Assistant Proctor Sharmin Kabir. However, they have not managed to fix a meeting date yet.
Attempts to contact Sharmin Kabir by phone failed. When this correspondent visited her office, she was unavailable and her room was locked. An Institute employee said she had been on examination duty and could not currently be reached.
Assistant Proctor Mohammad Mahbub Quaisar said he was unaware his name had been added to the committee. "I don't know much about this matter yet, so I cannot comment", he added.
When The Daily Observer Correspondent met the accused Masud Karim, he broke down in tears. "I may be a lower-level employee, but I have been victimised by injustice. There has been a conspiracy against me", he said.
The pattern of the inactive committee extends beyond the bribery case. On Sunday night, allegations arose that students from the 2024-25 session of the Institute of Leather Engineering and Technology (ILET) orchestrated ever-rejected ragging event guestroom at Dr Kudrat-i-Khuda Hostel. However, Warden Dr Md Farhad Ali has shown no activity regarding forming an investigation committee or examining the allegation.
