BPSC forms committee to probe question paper leaks

Bangladesh Public Service Commission (BPSC) has formed a three-member committee to probe the allegation of question paper leaks on Monday night.

BPSC chairman Md Sohorab Hossain confirmed the development to Prothom Alo.

The committee is headed by BPSC’s joint secretary Abdul Alim Khan.

Director Mohammad Azizul Haque has been made member secretary while director Dilawez Durdana a member of the probe committee.

Sohorab Hossain said stern action would be taken against those who would be found guilty.

He could not say when the committee would submit its report.

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the police arrested 17 persons, including two deputy directors and one assistant director of the BPSC, on the allegation of leaking questions of different recruitment exams of Bangladesh Railway on Sunday and Monday.

The arrestees include, BPSC deputy directors Md. Abu Jafar and Jahangir Alam, assistant directors SM Alamgir Kabir, office assistant (dispatch) Khalilur Rahman, office assistant Sajedul Islam, former driver Syed Abed Ali and his son Syed Sohanur Rahman, former army personnel Noaman Siddique, former Chhatra League leader and Dhaka University student Abu Solayman M Sohel, auditor Priyanath Roy, Dhaka's Immigration and Passport Office’s Md Mamunur Rashid, security guard at Narayanganj Passport Office Shahadat Hossain, Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital’s technician Md Niamul Hasan, businessman Shakawat Hossain and Saim Hossain, businessman Md Jahidul Islam and Liton Sarkar.

Special superintendent of police (SP) of the Cyber Police Centre (CPC) of the CID, Towhidul Islam, told Prothom Alo on Monday evening that the accused persons were arrested in police drives in different areas of the city on Sunday and Monday. The arrestees were involved in leaking the question paper of the recruitment exam for the posts of deputy assistant engineer of Bangladesh Railway. Besides, there are reports that they were also involved in leaking question papers of several non-cadre examinations. They are being interrogated at the CID office now.

Channel 24 on Sunday aired a report on question paper leaks in different recruitment examinations. The report accused BPSC officials of involvement with the leak.

CID officials said BPSC’s office assistant Sajedul Islam said he received the question papers of the railway recruitment test from deputy director Abu Jafar in exchange for Tk 20 million. He also leaked question papers of recruitment exams including Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) exams in the past.