Transparency Interna-tional Bangladesh (TIB) has found an unholy alliance among the government employees, the ruling party's student wing activists, owners of coaching centres and a number of private stakeholders in the act of leaking out question-papers of public examinations in the country.
The Bangladesh chapter of the Berlin-based anti-corruption watchdog Wednesday placed at a press conference the seven-point recommendations to check leakage of question-papers prior to all the public examinations.
Nihar Ranjan Roy and Rumana Sharmin, deputy programme managers (research and policy), revealed the findings at the press meet held at the TIB's Dhanmondi office.
The anti-graft body conducted the study tiled 'Question Paper Leakage in Public Examinations: The Processes, Reasons and Way Forward' from January to July 2015, aiming to identify processes and reasons behind the question-paper leakages and to give recommendations to check it.
TIB Executive Director Iftekharuzzaman, deputy executive director Dr Sumaiya Khair and director (research and policy) Mohammad Rafiqul Hasan were present at the press conference.
The TIB claimed to have found involvement of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), student body of ruling Awami League, in the act of leaking out question-papers along with a section of private stakeholders.
"It is very impossible to leak questions without the involvement of insiders including persons involved in formulating question-papers, their printing and transportation etc….from what we have found. We think it is a growing business," said Mr Iftekharuzzaman.
Mr Iftekharuzzaman said owners of coaching centres and guidebook traders are also involved in it. "Around Tk 32 billion is being exchanged in coaching trade in the country each year. It is also a flourishing business," he said quoting Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid.
The TIB study found the transaction involving the leaking of a question paper up to Tk 20,000.
The research showed that there were a total of 63 allegations of question-paper leakages in the last four years (2012-15).
Recommendations placed for the government included an increase in punishment from four years to 10 years' jail under the Public Examinations (Offences) (Amendment) Act, 1992.
The TIB also suggested digitisation of the entire process from question-paper formulation to its distribution and reduction of the number of steps involved in the intermediate steps.
It also suggested strengthening of monitoring on use of ICT and bringing offenders involved in question- paper leakages to justice.
The TIB said officials of the Primary Education Directorate, education boards, BG Press as well as local administration have reportedly been involved in question-paper leakages.
The study found that guidebook traders, photocopy shops, applicants and sometimes guardians play active roles in circulating the leaked question-papers.
Despite taking some measures following allegations about question-paper leakage, the authorities concerned often rule out such allegations.
As the authorities concerned have a tendency to refute allegations of question-paper leakages and do not make probe reports public after conducting investigation into the allegations, the study said, the leaking of question papers goes on.
The study recommended amendment to the government's existing policy on coaching centres to impose restriction on coaching trade and to increase facility to teachers to ensure education-friendly atmosphere in schools, colleges and other educational institutions.
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