Fraud in central bank recruitment test
A job applicant adopted illegal means in the recruitment test of Bangladesh Bank (BB) last year with the help of the bank's officials.
The central bank has already suspended two of its joint directors temporarily on charges of alleged involvement in this fraud. Besides, an investigation is underway to take a final decision over the matter, said several BB sources.
The suspended persons are joint directors Md Almas Ali and Abdullah Al Mabud who have been accused of planning and assisting in the fraud regarding the recruitment test for CCTV operators.
The spokesperson and the executive director of central bank Md. Sirajul Islam told Prothom Alo on Saturday that as the test has been cancelled, and there there was no question of recruiting people through illegal means. Two officials have already been suspended for their alleged involvement in the fraud. An investigation is underway to take a final decision.
The central bank has published a circular for 26 vacant posts of CCTV operator on 6 October in 2019. The written examination for the posts was fixed on 27 March in 2020. But the examination was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Later, the test was held on 16 October in 2020 at Bangladesh Bank School and College where 142 out of 700 examinees attended. Only 21 per cent passed. The candidates successful in the written test were called for viva-voce on 6 January.
While examining the information of the candidates, the authorities found a mismatch between the written answer sheet and the handwriting of an examinee namely Abu Bakkar Siddique.
On 13 January, the central bank governor Fazle Kabir instructed a special investigation to be conducted on the matter. Later, the investigation revealed that a certain Nettananda Pal took the examination instead of Abu Bakkar as per the plan orchestrated by joint director Abdullah Al Mabud.
Another joint director Md Almas Ali introduced Nettananda Pal with Abu Bakkar and Abdullah Al Mabud in exchange of Tk 200,000.
Almas Ali told probe bodies that he handed over the Tk 200,000 to Nettananda Pal to take the examination while Abdullah Al Mabud recommended Abu Bakker to several officials on the day of oral examination.
Later, the authorities of central bank suspended these two joint directors temporarily on 13 June and still conducting an investigation to adopt a final decision over the issue.
This report, originally published in Prothom Alo online edition, has been rewritten in English by NH Sajjad.