4 jailed over Public Admin proxy exam scam

A Dhaka court on Monday sent four men to jail in a fraud case after they were caught allegedly securing jobs at the Ministry of Public Administration with the help of proxy examinees.

Dhaka Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Awlad Hossain Md Jonaid passed the order and set Tuesday for a hearing on their bail petitions.

The accused are Md Russell Rana Liton, 32; Md Alim, 28; Md Ali Haidar, 29; and Md Masud Fakir, 31.

According to the prosecution, the men were detained at the Secretariat on Sunday when they arrived to submit their joining documents for the post of office assistant. Officials became suspicious and conducted face verification by matching their appearances with photographs taken during the recruitment process.

During preliminary questioning, the accused allegedly admitted to obtaining the jobs by using proxy candidates in exchange for money.

The Ministry of Public Administration had advertised 20 vacancies for office assistant posts in May. Written and oral examinations were held in June, and appointment letters were issued on July 6.

Administrative Officer H.M. Arifur Rahman later filed a fraud case with Shahbagh Police Station. Investigators sought to keep the accused in custody until the completion of the probe.

-MAL/SA