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<i>Cheating in novel way</i>

22 February 2009, 18:00 PM

NATIONAL

Our Correspondent, Nilphamari

'Bad luck' befell two senior students hired by a madrasa superintendent to appear in the ongoing Dakhil (equivalent to SSC) examinations as Jaldhaka upazila nirbahi officer (UNO) detained them from Chhit Mirganj Dakhil Madrasa examination centre yesterday. The detainees, Siddukur Rahman (roll No 174430) and Nur-un-Nabi (roll No 174433) were appearing as students of Shimul Bari Kashem Bazaar Dakhil Madrasa in Jaldhaka upazila from where they passed the Dakhil examinations in 2007. Siddukur Rahman is presently a second year student of Alhaz Mizanur Rahman Chowdhury Krishi College while Nur-un-Nabi is a Fazil (equivalent to HSC) student in Gar Dharmapal Fazil Madrasa, they told the UNO during interrogation. Shahidul Islam, superintendent of Shimul Bari Kashem Bazaar Dakhil Madrasa, arranged their appearing from the madrasa this year to save government's Monthly Payment Order (MPO) for the institution, sources said. There are 12 teachers in Shimul Bari Kashem Bazaar Dakhil Madrasa while the number of Dakhil examinees is only eight this year. Apprehending that the students would fail to pass the Dakhil examinations due to 'low quality teaching' provided at the madrasa, the superintendent hired his two ex-students, who would 'surely pass' and thus help to avoid suspension of MPO for the madrasa. As per a directive by the Ministry of Education, there is provision for suspending MPO of an educational institution if none passes from there. The superintendent has gone into hiding while the two arrested students were sent to jail. There are allegations that the superintendent did similar malpractice earlier also. In Shimul Bari union, there are five madrasas within short distances from each other as education ministry criteria for setting up a new madrasa were violated during their establishment. During the last four-party alliance government, many educational institutions were granted MPO allegedly on political considerations although they failed to fulfil the official criteria to get MPO.