Students of the law programme at Bangladesh Open University (BOU) organised a human chain on Friday to protest the fraudulent issuance of LLB certificates. They are demanding punishment for those involved, including the dean, in the case of exchanging certificates for money.
Media reports earlier highlighted complaints of obtaining LLB certificates without examinations in exchange for money.
Following these allegations, the university authorities took action, dismissing five individuals, including the assistant senior programmer, Khalid Saifullah.
On Friday morning, students gathered in front of the Dhaka Regional Centre of Open University, where they presented six demands, including strict punishment for the accused.
In response to the outcry, the university swiftly sealed the server room of the instant result system and formed a four-member investigation committee led by Vice-Chancellor Professor Mahbuba Nasreen, resulting in the dismissal of five suspects.
Reports reveal that a network within the university was selling LLB certificates, complete with verified mark sheets, for a sum of Tk 70,000 without the necessity of class examinations.
This illicit activity was orchestrated through the university's computer department in collaboration with brokers.
The law program students of Bangladesh Open University put forward the following demands during their human chain: Firstly, they insist on the permanent expulsion and strict punishment of individuals found guilty of selling and forging LLB (Hons) certificates. Additionally, they call for transparency in education quality and certificate issuance for BOU students, with oversight from prominent regulatory bodies. The students demand the immediate commencement of the proposed 'School of Law' within one month, warning of further actions if this timeline is not met. Thorough verification of all LLB certificates, including admission applications and examination participation sheets, is also demanded to restore integrity. Furthermore, they demand the resignation of Dean Jahangir Alam for his perceived failure in curbing corruption. Lastly, they urge the university administration to release the investigation report to the public via a press conference, pledging to uphold transparency and eradicate corruption within BOU.
