Question-Leak Probe at Chuadanga Government Girls' School Uncovers Forgery Claims, Office Assistant Shahjamal Detained
An investigation into the leak of SSC selection test questions at Chuadanga Government Girls' High School has brought various irregularity allegations to light. Police have detained the school's outsourced office assistant Shahjamal and taken him into station custody in connection with the matter.
He was taken into police custody on Wednesday night (28 October).
The allegations include irregularities in master-roll recruitment by forging former head teachers' signatures, as well as in student admissions and shift changes. He is also accused of drawing salary in the computer operator post while employed as an office assistant. The investigation into these allegations is not yet complete.
On Monday (26 October), Deputy Commissioner Lutfun Nahar formed a three-member committee to investigate the question-leak allegation. The committee, headed by Additional Deputy Commissioner (Education and ICT) ABM Khalid Hossain Siddiqui, was tasked with examining different aspects of the incident.
As part of the inquiry, the committee chief seized the personal computer of Shahjamal, office assistant to head teacher Sheikh Rezaul Karim, for examination. Related sources claim that checking documents stored on the computer brought to light, beyond the question leak, information on recruitment, admissions and shift changes.
School and administration sources claim recruitment documents relating to the master roll were found on Shahjamal's personal computer. However, who was recruited, how many people were recruited, how much money changed hands and whose signatures were forged have not yet been officially disclosed in specific terms.
Not only recruitment, some information on student admissions and shift changes was also reportedly found on that computer, related sources claimed. Whether those records are linked to admission trade or any other irregularity is being examined.
At around 11pm on Wednesday, committee chief ABM Khalid Hossain Siddiqui went to the school and reviewed the relevant documents and aspects of the allegations. Shahjamal was then taken into police custody.
A school authority source said a formal case could not be filed that night because it had grown late and some necessary information and procedures remained incomplete. The source said head teacher Sheikh Rezaul Karim would take steps to file a case as plaintiff on Thursday morning (29 October).
Additional Deputy Commissioner ABM Khalid Hossain Siddiqui said he would be able to say everything after learning the details. For now the accused is in police custody, and various information on forgery at the school has been found against him, he said.
Shahjamal was appointed on a temporary basis through outsourcing on 5 January 2019, and since then the school authorities had been running all computer-related work through him, it was learned.
