Action to be taken against question makers: Dipu Moni

Education minister Dipu Moni said actions will be taken against the question makers -- no matter whether the communal issue was incorporated in Bangla 1st paper question of Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) examination intentionally or out of negligence.

The education minister said an investigation is underway to ascertain whether the error was made intentionally or out of negligence.

"We must take action," Dipu Moni added.

The minister came up with this remark on Wednesday afternoon at an event at the National Museum in Dhaka.

Replying to the newsmen's queries, Dipu Moni said, "Controversy arises over the question paper of Bangla in this year's HSC examination. We formed a probe body as soon as we were informed of the matter. We have identified those who made and moderated the question. Our investigation is underway."    

When asked about what type of action will be taken, the minister said, "We will make a decision over the issue once the probe report is finalised. What type action will be taken completely depends on the report. But we must take action."  

Dipu Moni said all boards will have to be more cautious while selecting question makers and the moderators in the future.   

Earlier, Dhaka Education Board chairman Tapan Kumar Sarkar told Prothom Alo that "A communal issue was incorporated in the passage of a set of creative questions in Bangla 1st paper. We are trying to trace the people who made and moderated the question paper."

"In the existing system, we need the manuscript to identify them. The manuscript is stored at the treasury office. We will collect it on Tuesday morning and identify the question makers and the moderators. Then we will take action against them," the chairman added.

A Dhaka Board source said a written instruction is given while preparing the question paper so that no communal and hateful statements are included in the question papers. But there is no scope to see the question paper [before the exam].

Another controversy arose centering on the question of Bangla second paper of HSC examination under Technical Education Board. In the question, they demeaned a fiction writer. The Bangla second paper exam was held on Sunday.   

On the same day, the technical board postponed the examination of Bangla 1st paper, citing printing errors.