Gang of certificate forgers detected in Nilphamari

Acting on a tip-off, BAC Assistant Inspector Abdus Salam with the help of police raided a house in Dhalagang near Syedpur town and arrested the alleged gang leader-- Abdus Salam alias Salam Master. Two cases have been filed with Syedpur thana.

The forged certificates had been sold at between Tk 10,000 and Tk two lakh depending on the level and many people who collected those are now doing jobs in educational institutions and government offices including Bangladesh Railway in Nilphamari and other districts, Salam Master confessed to the BAC official.

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A section of teachers and clerks at some schools and colleges collaborated with the gang, the BAC official told this correspondent.

On investigation, the BAC detected that SSC examines Abul Kalam Azad (Roll-Syed, No-485 and Registration No-24664/91) and Moinul Islam (Roll Syed- No 74, Registration No 24676/91) from Syedpur Muslim High School under Rajshahi Education Board had failed in 1991. Their marks were tempered in the tabulation sheet and the tempered result sheet was preserved in the school.

During investigation, it was found that in the original documents with the Register of Rajshahi Education Board, Abul Kalam Azad had got 23 in English First Paper, 31in English Second Paper and 07 in General Mathematics. Moinul Islam had got 07 in Higher Mathematics. The pass is 33.

The result sheet of Rajshahi Board showed that they had failed but in the tempered result sheet sent to Syedpur Muslim High School they were shown passed.

Moinul Islam also gave a confessional statement to the BAC official that Salam Master of Dhalagachh had supplied him the tempered mark sheet.

The BAC official also said that headmaster of Syedpur Muslim High School Shamsheruddin Pramanik told him that Salam Master of Dhalagach was involved in making false certificates and mark sleets and earned huge amounts by selling those.

But it is surprising that the headmaster of Syedpur Muslim High School in testimonials issued to the two failed candidates certified that the two passed in the SSC examination, said the BAC official.

Abul Kalam Azad and Moinul Islam were admitted to Syedpur College in 1992-1993 academic session, allegedly in collaboration with Head Clerk Abdul Hamid and Office Assistant Yunus Ali of the college, BAC official Abdus Salam said.

Others accused in the cases are Headmaster Shamsheruddin Pramanik and Office Assistant Azizul Islam; Head Clerk of Syedpur College Abdul Hamid and Office Assistant Yunus Ali; and the two candidates Abdul Kalam Azad and Moinul Islam. The cases have been filed under Sections 420, 468, 471 and 109. Salam Master is in custody now.

Other sources claimed that during a special investigation by the Education Ministry in some educational institutions in Syedpur a few years ago, some teachers could not show their original certificates. They had told the investigators that they lost their original certificates.

But no action was taken against them.

BAC official Golam Moula said nine cases were filed with courts in the district earlier in connection with certificate forgery.