Over ten thousand people have been working in the government, semi-government, non-government and autonomous organizations in the country with fake degrees like doctor of philosophy (PhD), doctor of medicine and masters of sciences.
Intelligence agencies, members of Audit and Inspections Directorate of the education ministry, Anti-Corruption Commi-ssion (ACC) and University Grants Commission (UGC) have been asked to prepare reports against these fake degree holders.
Some of the corrupt people who got such degrees in exchange of money are trying to drop their names from the list to be prepared by the law enforcing agencies. The UGC in a circular has asked all teachers of public and private universities and other people who have local and foreign degrees at masters and PhD levels to submit the same for verification immediately as some teachers and officials at public and private universities, NGOs and other organizations submitted their degrees for promotion or higher salaries in their respective organizations.
The Audit and Inspection Directorate of the Ministry of Education has got such allegations from different sources and started verifying the authentication of the degrees. A good number of teachers in the public universities including Dhaka University have submitted their degrees for promotions and higher pay scale, sources said adding that their degrees was not verified earlier.
One of the chairmen of education boards of the country submitted fake PhD degree about three years back. Following an allegation, the Audit and Inspection Directorate detected the man who later dropped the degree from his name and title. A barrister, who studied in Australia, has been using PhD degree for last 12 years, sources said adding that the barrister did not submit her PhD thesis to the respective university for the degree required. The barrister, who has also been teaching at a reputed private university for years, has a plan to go to Australia to submit her thesis.
A good numbers of teachers at private universities in the country have "earned" degrees on payment of a handsome amount of money to the agents that helped them get the degrees from foreign countries. Some of the teachers at public and private colleges also got such degrees manipulating their papers, sources said adding that some of the agents of different varsities abroad are involved in forging Phd thesis for their clients.
Degrees from the universities in United States or other places in the world can easily be obtained from Bangladesh, one of the sources said adding that most of the students staying in the country have been receiving the degrees. Agents are playing vital role in preparing the thesis papers and submit the same to the universities outside the country.
Computer shops at Neelhkeet market in capital city is one of the places in the country that have been forging and supplying fake certificates since 1995 at university level. Some employees of the education boards were also doing the trade of fake certificates over the years. One can buy a certificate of higher level with Tk five to ten lakh, one of the sources said.
The universities reportedly involved in selling the degrees in the country are Premier University, American World University, Victoria University of Bangladesh, Queens University, Royal University. America Bangladesh University, Asian University Bangladesh, Pundra University of Science and Technology, Central Women's' University, City University, Southern University Bangladesh, Sylhet International University, Uttara University.
Professor Abdul Mannan, Chairman of the University Grants Commission (UGC) of Bangladesh told The Asian Age that we are aware of the fake certificates in the country and asked the vice chancellors of both public and private universities to look into the matter in a serious manner. He said Anti-Corrupt Commission has been trying to bell the cat behind the shady offence.
One of the Deputy Directors of Audit and Inspection Directorate of the Ministry of Education said that they have been taking measures against the fake certificate holders. Some of the physicians were arrested in this connection, the officer said.
-Tapan Khan, AA
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