BCL desperate in admission trade:Daily Sun

 Chhatra League demanded 600 seats for admission into the higher secondary courses in Narayanganj Tolaram College and Government Women College. They are securing admission of the students in exchange for money. The general students are staging sit-in demonstration protesting the activities of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL). Out of 2,100 seats in three renowned colleges in Khulna, 500 have been filled in by BCL nominated students. The students who secured top position in the waiting list were deprived of admission. But the students from the bottom of the list got chance. This is how the BCL makes money through admission business across the country. The directorate of secondary and higher secondary education and education boards concerned expressed their helplessness to save the educational institutions from the grip of the BCL. Not only BCL at various college units but also those at district and upazila units are involved in admission business. Even, Awami League leaders and activists are not far away. There are 271 government colleges across the country. Apart from these, over 100 other colleges are crowded by the admission-seekers. In this sense, around 400 colleges are affected by admission business. BCL secure admission for 200 students in each college on an average. If BCL takes Tk 10,000 for a seat, its total earning comes to Tk 80 crore. Besides, Tk 50,000 is being charged for a seat in the colleges in the capital. Siddiqui Nazmul Alam, general secretary of BCL central committee, rejected the allegation of admission business against the ruling party’s student wing. “There is no admission business in Bangladesh. The education boards post merit list on the internet. As a result, there is no scope for business. If anybody is found guilty, he/she will be punished,” he added. Investigation shows that Badrunnesa College unit BCL president Shewly and her associates are allegedly controlling admission in the respective college. They are reportedly taking Tk 15,000 for admission per head and Tk 12,000 per seat. If any student seeks admission and seat together, he/she will have to pay a package of Tk 25,000. It is learnt that around 250 students got admitted into the college under the package. A BCL member of the college said “General Secretary got married. In her absence, the President is enjoying all facilities. She earned Tk 50 lakh from HSC admission and seat business alone” Shewly, however, rejected the allegation saying opposition Chhatra Dal is spreading rumour to tarnish her image. “You talk to the Principal to know my complicity in the alleged irregularities,” she said. “I boarded the college hostel after paying Tk 3,000. Later, I was asked to pay remaining amount Tk 9,000. My luggage and belongings were removed from the room due to my failure to pay the amount.” The student said she was eventually allowed to tsay after paying Tk 5,000 sent by her relatives. Swapna Rani Saha, Principal of Badrunnesa Government College, said “Out admission process is 100 percent transparent. A total of 1500 students have got admitted as of now. Around 300 are lying vacant still now. Some leaders came to me. I told them clearly admission of the students will be held as per merit list. There is no scope for lobbying here.” Admission business has been reported in city’s Suhrawardy College. BCL is ensuring admission in exchange for Tk 15-20 thousand. Kamaruzzaman Himu and Kawsar Haque, president and general secretary of the college unit BCL, are allegedly involved in the admission business. Besides, students are being provided with fake form. Zahir, an admission seeker of Tangail, said “Some students introducing themselves to be associates of Himu Vai gave me the form. When I went to get admission, the college authorities detected the forgery. As I protested, the form suppliers ousted me from the campus after beating up.” It has been alleged that at present Dhaka College has no student committee so the former student committee of the college has been running admission trade of the college. Rejecting recommendation some angry student leaders vandalised Principal’s room and teachers’ quarters. Now the allegation of admission trade is raised against famous Notre Dame College in the city. The college takes admission test not following the GPA grading. A guardian named Aminul Islam alleged that a Chhatra League leader named Shahin took Tk 2 lakh from a number of students to ensure admission into Notre Dame College. But many admission seekers did not get chance for admission though they gave 90 percent right answer. Prof Taslima Begum, Chairman of Dhaka Education Board said, “We did not receive any compliant from any college in the city. But I have read some news items in the newspaper. We usually prepared the merit list. It is responsibility for the college authorities to follow the merit list prepared by the education board.” Narayanganj Correspondent reports, students of Narayanganj Government Mohila College brought out a protest rally against workers and leaders of BCL for their alleged involved with admission trade. A guardian named Shahin told this correspondent his daughter got 4.38 in GPA grading from science group but in the same day a student who got only 4.16 in GPA grading got chance for admission into the college for the payment of Tk 20,000. Another student Popy Aktar told this correspondent that Chhatra League workers demanded Tk 30,000 from her. About the matter, Gopal Chandra Saha, Principal of Narayanganj Government Mohila College said the allegations made by the student are totally false. On request we admitted six students to our college. Ayesa Akhtar Iva, an admission seeker to commerce group said Chhatra League workers on June 30 removed the merit list hung on the wall. A student named Sultana Akhtar said Mostafizur Rahman Titu identifying as VP of Tolaram College planned admission trade sitting in Principal’s room. Safayat Alam Sony, President of Narayanganj District Chhatra League said Mostafizur Rahman Titu does not belong to Chhatra League. Prof Md Ataur Rahman, Director of Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education (College and Administration) said after receiving an allegation against a college in Narayanganj we have formed a one-member probe committee to investigate the matter. Our Khulna correspondent said while starting admission process different groups of Chhatra League took control in the city’s Commerce, City and Sundarban colleges. Requesting anonymity a person involved with the admission trade said City College admitted 276 students under the pressure of Chhatra League leaders. Waheduzzaman Dollar, vice president of Khulna Metropolis Branch of Chhatra League said allegation of irregularities in admission to different colleges in the city is not correct. —Courtsey: Kaler Kantho