Some abroad, some on maternity leave, yet honorarium is withdrawn

Fake names were added to the list of invigilators for a recruitment test at Siddheswari College centre in Moghbazar of the capital to withdraw honorarium.

Investigations found that names of former teachers abroad, teachers on maternity leave, those serving in the college but not on duty during the exam, and even ‘unknown’ individuals were included in the list.

Several teachers of the college told Prothom Alo that honorarium money was misappropriated this way. Principal Sheikh Julhas Uddin and his loyal teachers were involved in this act. Julhas Uddin served as the centre secretary.

On 8 August, the election commission (EC) held a multiple-choice (MCQ) test for the recruitment of staff in its secretariat and field-level offices. Siddheswari College was one of the exam centres.

According to records, the number of candidates allotted to the Siddheswari College centre was 2,520. The one-hour exam was held in 35 rooms of the college.

Documents show that the EC allocated around Tk 182,000 (excluding tax) for holding the exam at this centre, including honorarium and other expenses. Each invigilator was supposed to receive Tk 1,350. The college authorities submitted a list of 101 teachers as invigilators to the EC.

Sources at the college said that the actual number of teachers on duty did not match the list submitted. At least 17 of the names on the invigilator list were fake.

When contacted on 14 September, principal Julhas Uddin told Prothom Alo, “We always prepare the list this way. The entire allocation is adjusted like this, and then teachers share the money.”

Showing four such lists of previous government recruitment tests, Julhas Uddin said that a section of teachers were making this an issue and filing complaints in different places.

Asked how people who are not teachers were included in the list, Julhas Uddin said he did not know.

After learning that fake names were used to withdraw honorarium, several teachers of the college protested and lodged a complaint with the EC. The complaint also mentioned similar irregularities regarding support staff.

A teacher of Siddheswari College told Prothom Alo that the number of support staff on the EC’s list is quite higher than the number of actual staff of the college. Fake names were added to collect honorarium money.

Prothom Alo cross-checked the list of invigilators and found names of former teachers Natasha Sarkar, Sabina Mita, Morzia Naznin and Munirjadi Shahida Alam.

When contacted, the four expressed surprise. Morzia Naznin said, “I retired from teaching long ago. How did my name end up there?”

Several teachers said the names of three other former teachers were also in the list.

Multiple teachers confirmed that two of the listed teachers named Samapti Mridha and Nazia Hossain are living abroad.

Teacher Sadia Jamal’s name was also on the list, but she was on maternity leave at the time. She confirmed this to Prothom Alo, saying that she resumed the duties upon completion of her leave following the exam.

Some teachers who were not on duties were also listed. Among them were Golam Md Ferdous Bhuiyan and Shamsad Alam Swarna, who confirmed they had not served as invigilators.

Teachers said two names in the list—Rais Mia and Koushikur Rahman Titu—were unknown to them, and they did not perform duties during the exam.

AKM Giasuddin, head of the English department and convener of the exam committee, told Prothom Alo, “The principal prepared this fake list and embezzled EC funds. Many names were listed who were not on duties and were not even teachers. I protested and demanded that the EC investigate.”

During a visit to Siddheswari College on 14 September, several teachers expressed grievances and complained to this correspondent.

Aminul Islam, head of the psychology department, said, “I was threatened and harassed by loyalists of the principal for protesting against the fake list and embezzlement. They are spreading propaganda against me.”

While Aminul Islam was speaking to Prothom Alo, several teachers, including Ruhul Amin Khan, who served as teachers’ representative, entered his office and verbally abused him for opening up about the fake list. Later, Ruhul Amin Khan said a few teachers were lodging complaints to different offices to remove principal Julhas Uddin.

When asked, election commission secretariat senior secretary Akhtar Ahmed told Prothom Alo, “We have received a complaint. We are investigating the matter.”