Authorities admit 'digital forgery', publish results

Dhaka University (DU) authorities yesterday admitted that the question paper of “Gha” Unit admission test was leaked via “digital forgery”, but published the result anyway.

Vice-chancellor Professor Akhtaruzzaman announced the result at the Central Admission Office of DU at 3:30pm.

“Though an allegation of question leak had surfaced, it's the university authorities' success that they nabbed the perpetrators. We will dig deep into the matter to identify others,” said the VC.

Prof Akhtaruzzaman, however, found a distinction between the leak of “Gha” Unit question paper and the leaks in previous years.

“It is being said that the question paper was leaked at 9:17am on the day of the exam. Previously I heard of questions being leaked a day or two prior to the exam. We have gradually narrowed the gap [between the start of exams and leak of questions],” he said.

Earlier on Monday, hours after issuing a press release on publishing the results on Tuesday, the DU authorities issued another press release saying the result has been postponed as per directives of the VC over allegations of question paper leak.

Law enforcers have found evidence that hand-written question paper of “Gha” Unit admission test was leaked 43 minutes prior to the exam, and circulated by two admission information centres in Bogura.

Six people, including an admission seeker and his father, were arrested on Saturday in connection with the incident.

The VC seemed unwilling to label it as “question leak”, and called it “digital forgery”.

“We have received the probe report and they have found proof of digital forgery. If you [journalists] want to call it 'question leak', you may. But it was digital forgery,” he said.

He also ruled out the probability of retaking the test, saying that they do not have any right to play “games” with the future of thousands of students.

Around 26 percent admission seekers have obtained pass marks in the test held last Friday, which is the highest pass rate in this unit in the last five years.

Meanwhile, Akhtar Hossen, a third-year student of DU's law department, yesterday started a hunger strike in front of the Raju Memorial sculpture, demanding a retake of the “Gha” Unit admission test.

'Pragatishil Chhatra Jote', an alliance of left-leaning students' organisations, at a press conference held at Madhu's Canteen of the university yesterday demanded cancellation of the exam and resignation of DU Social Science faculty dean Sadeka Halim, who was the coordinator of the exam.