Investigation into DU fake admission stalled

Investigation by a fact-finding committee formed to investigate admission forgery at Dhaka University remains stalled as the probe body could not hold a meeting in over last two months due to the recent impasse at the university.
Detention of two committee members and uncertain situation at DU hampered the investigation process, a member of the fact-finding body told The Daily Star asking to be unnamed.
Another member, however, said indifference of the committee is also responsible.
A number of suspected students have meanwhile secured a court permission to attend classes and take examinations. They had filed a writ with the hope that they might get off exploiting the loopholes in the system.
If the probe remains pending like this, many apprehend the fake students will leave campus with certificate on completion of their degrees.
Prof AFM Yusuf Haider, head of the committee, admitted they could not hold a meeting, but said investigation process is not stalled. A case has been filed with a number of suspects and show cause notices have been issued to 54 primarily identified suspects, he argued.
He said detention Prof Dr Harun-Or-Rashid, dean of social sciences faculty, and Prof Anwar Hossain, dean of biological sciences faculty, is greatly hampering the investigation.
The committee has brought the matter to the notice of the Syndicate, university's highest decision-making body.
Acting Dean of Social Sciences Faculty Prof AAMS Arefin Siddique said the court has allowed nine suspected students to attend classes and sit for examinations until the verdict in the case is delivered.
By the time the court delivers verdict in the case, these students may achieve certificate, he added.
The probe body has submitted a set of recommendations to the deans and directors of different faculties and institutes so that the loopholes in quota and registration systems may not be exploited further, said Prof Haider.
He claimed the already identified students will not be able to prove their 'innocence', as the committee is confident about its findings. It might take time, but there is no reason to believe they will eventually get away, he added.
DU authorities have appointed an attorney to oversee the legal issues.
DU Chief Security Officer Kamrul Ahsan filed an FIR with Shahbagh Police Station on October 6 against five university officials and eight outsiders for their alleged involvement in the forgery.
The university officials are Deputy Registrar (Education-2) AKM Mozammel Haque, international relations department official Abul Hossain, Chief Assistant of Admission Section BM Aminul Islam, economics department Chief Assistant Bimol Chandra Das, and public administration department Chief Assistant Md Yunus.
The outsiders are UCC Coaching Centre teacher Golam Mostofa Kiron, Mirpur University College teachers Hafizur Rahman Hafiz, Karuta International consultant Obaidul Kabir Swapan, Md Moin, Nishat Ahmed who resides in Dhanmondi, Sazzadur Rahman Lipon and Jewel Rosario.
The probe committee was formed on October 10, 2006 in the wake of allegations of inconsistencies in admission papers of 11 students of 2004-2005 session of public administration department.
It submitted an interim report to the Syndicate. The report included 30 more incidents of fake admission in public administration, economics and international relations departments in the same session.
The authorities launched a drive at the faculties of arts and social sciences in mid-March this year following the report, which hinted at existence of more fake students.
The Syndicate has so far cancelled 167 students under different faculties since March this year.