Question Leaks: TIB stages countrywide demo

Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) yesterday staged nationwide demonstrations demanding exemplary punishment to the culprits involved in question paper leaks.

The anti-corruption watchdog also demanded reducing the number of steps between preparing question papers and distribution, and increasing punishment for the leak-sters up to 10 years of imprisonment.

The demands were raised at a human chain formed by TIB members and officials, students, teachers and social activists in front of TSC at Dhaka University.

TIB in association with two of its platforms -- Socheton Nagorik Committee and Youth Engagement and Support -- organised such programmes at 45 locations across the country on the eve of this year's HSC exams.

“The impact of question leak is very lengthy and dangerous, although it seems that it is a small  corruption. Such impact exists till the professional life,” said Mohammad Rafiqul Hasan, director of research and policy of TIB.

There is a few example of punishing the leak-sters comparing to the number of question leak incidents, he said.

“Some people, who are involved in coaching business, play a significant role in question leak. The government should increase supervision in this area, also in the social media where the questions spread,” Rafiqul said.

He said if the menace is not stopped, the country will not be built based on good-governance and merit.

TIB announced a nine-point demand. Some other major demands are providing incentive to teachers to stop coaching business and increasing supervision to stop misuse of information technology, publishing the investigation report on the recent [SSC] question paper leaks and taking necessary measures, and ensuring the application of laws to ban supplementary books, which are almost identical to guidebooks. 54545454