Chattogram Education Board’s Secret Service: Results for Students Who Never Sat Exams, GPA-5 for Those Who Failed

❐ Special Correspondent

This is like a secret service! Sometimes getting a GPA-5 despite failing, and sometimes achieving the highest results without even taking the exam. Such sensational allegations of result fraud come to the fore almost every year in the Chittagong Education Board. This raises questions about the board’s process of preparing and publishing results, as well as the transparency and accountability of the officials and employees concerned. A deep crisis of trust has been created between students and guardians.

According to educationists, a culture of impunity and lack of accountability are creating opportunities for such frauds to occur again and again. The lack of accountability from higher authorities, along with administrative weaknesses, is also creating great suspicion among students and parents.

SSC Exam 2026: After the results were released, a student got a GPA-5 but upon re-examination, it was found that he failed in all 10 subjects. A case was filed against four people, including three computer operators of the board, on October 29 for allegedly making him pass by forging marks.

2024 SSC Exam: 17 students got GPA-5 without appearing in the exam.

SSC Exam 2023: The allegations of cheating marks in 11 subjects by the son of the then board secretary Narayan Chandra Nath sparked widespread discussion across the country. Later, the incident escalated into a case.

Professor Mohammad Zahirul Haque Swapan, Secretary of the Chittagong Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board, filed a case with Panchlaish Police Station in connection with the 2026 fraud.

The accused in the case are Computer Cell Scanning Operator Imtiaz Ahmed Chowdhury (28), Scanning Operator Md. Rashedul Islam (30), Computer Operator (Solver) Nur Hossain Raihan (32) and a 17-year-old student, who has been mentioned as a beneficiary in the incident.

Board Secretary Professor Mohammad Zahirul Haque Swapan said that the fraud was identified with the advice of experts from BUET and system analysts from another education board.

According to experts, the marks were changed strategically by taking advantage of the errors in the two machines while scanning the answer sheets. He also said that the current ministry is following a ‘zero tolerance’ policy in this regard.

According to board sources, the computer branch was run by just two programmers. To handle the workload during the exams, 8 to 10 more staff were hired on a daily basis.

Sources said that this created a major security risk in the fruit preparation process. After the series of incidents, the authorities have taken the initiative to reorganize the activities of the computer branch.

Regarding the investigation and legal action, the current secretary said that the responsibility for the previous incidents has now fallen on the current administration through inheritance. Earlier, the then secretary Professor Narayan Chandra Nath was accused of being involved in changing his son’s results. He was in jail in this incident; he is currently out on bail.

According to educationist Professor Dr. Anwara Alam, it will be difficult to get out of such a negative situation that has created around students unless strict and effective steps are taken against corruption and irregularities in educational institutions.

Regarding the overall issue, Professor Mohammad Zahirul Haque Swapan, Secretary of the Chittagong Education Board, said, “Based on the opinions of experts, it is known that a problem arose while scanning the answer sheets on the computer. We identified the issue with the advice of computer software-related people, experts associated with a project at BUET, and system analysts from another education board. They identified that there was a problem scanning 12 answers on two machines. There, the opinion is that the results were rigged in the name of a solution.”

Stating that a report was prepared and sent to the ministry, he said, “Legal action has been taken on the advice of the ministry. The people involved in operating those two machines and the students who benefited from them have been charged. The matter is now under investigation. The investigation officers are working. It is not possible for me to comment further on this matter. Ignoring many threats, I went to the police station myself and sat for two days and took legal action.”

Stating that the image of an institution should also be taken into consideration, he said, “The current minister and the ministry’s instructions are that there is zero tolerance in this regard.” When asked whether any teacher was involved in evaluating the exam papers, he said, “No, I have not found any teacher’s involvement so far. The papers have come to us. They are stored in the locker.”

He further said, “We will hand them over to the law enforcement investigation officers at any time if they want. The people concerned in the board may be involved in these incidents. However, let the investigation reveal the real issue. Unfortunately, one of the four people who served in this position before me is now in the dock. His name is Professor Narayan Chandra Nath. It is alleged that he himself was involved in the incident of changing the results of his son. The results were changed in all subjects. A case has been filed in this incident, the responsibility of which has now fallen on me.”

Professor Mohammad Zahirul Haque Swapan said, “He was in jail. As far as I know, he is now out on bail. A colleague of mine informed me about the matter. I have no way of contacting him. However, the responsibility for these incidents has now fallen on me through inheritance. The arrow is now aimed at my chest.”