A director of National Institute of Mass Communication (NIMC), the apex training institute under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, has been in the job for almost 23 years with a ‘fake certificate’.
Md. Nazrul Islam, current director (training engineering), joined the training institute as a junior officer, showing the fake certificate he collected from a fake organisation named ‘Mitali Film Product’. Subsequently, he managed promotions and became an influential official at NIMC.
Nazrul appeared in the recruitment test after submitting the forged certificate to the Public Service Commission (PSC). He was appointed as assistant director (camera & lighting) on August 20 in 2001.
In the job circular, submission of diploma certificate was mandatory but Nazrul applied for the post with the fake diploma certificate.
Talking to the Bangladesh Post, Nazrul Islam denied the allegations brought against him. He, however, claimed that a vested quarter is hatching conspiracy against him.
“Whenever an opportunity arises or the time comes for my promotion, a vested quarter hatches conspiracy against me. I had received diploma certificate on photography from Mitali Film Product in Dhaka. This allegation was brought earlier and investigation was also carried out into the issue. An investigation report of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) is in my favour. I would like you to provide a copy of the report,” he told this correspondent.
However, this correspondent has obtained a copy of his diploma certificate. It seems that the certificate had been written by him as his handwriting matches the certificate.
“Handwriting on the certificate on photography matched Nazrul Islam’s own handwriting. I have been working here for a couple of years. I have heard about the issue. I have also heard that he made the certificate himself to get job here. If any complaint is raised in this regard, he manages it any way,” said a NIMC official.
Mitali Film Product is not a government-recognised or approved organisation. There is no organisation or institution affiliated with any university or education board or any other government institution under this name. So, the ‘certificate issued by Mitali Film Product’ does not meet the conditions of recruitment rules of NIMC that were formulated in 1996. It is also a violation of 2016 amendment to recruitment rules. Nazrul Islam joined NIMC as per the recruitment rules of 1996.
Although the address of ‘Mitali Film Product’ was H-70, Amtoli, Mohakhali, Dhaka-1212 on the certificate, there is no organisation in this name at that address.
Bangladesh Technical Education Board (BTEB) made it clear that there is no authorised institution named Mitali Film Product.
The board authorities informed this correspondent in a letter that there is no organisation named Mitali Film Product. Md. Nowsad Ali, a deputy inspector (short course) of BTEB, signed the letter.
Dr. Raju Muhammad Shahidul Islam, deputy director (research) of BTEB, forwarded the letter to this correspondent.
“An institute is authorised to conduct one-year Advanced Certificate Course in Fine Arts. Its name is Ideal Professional Training Institute located in Pirojpur. Besides, no other institution is authorised to conduct such courses. There is no organisation named Mitali Film Product in our list of authorised institutions. No organisation with such name was in our list in the past,” says the letter of BTEB.
This correspondent attached a copy of the fake certificate of Nazrul Islam with the application to BTEB for verification. The board had given its opinion following the application.
Talking to this correspondent, Dr. Raju Muhammad Shahidul Islam, however, commented that the certificate seems to be fake as the name of any education board or other government institution was not mentioned on the certificate.
Attaching a copy of the fake certificate, this journalist also sought comment from Directorate of Inspection and Audit (DIA), in a letter signed by Abul Kalam Azad, deputy director of DIA, says, “This department does not know whether any institution named Mitali Film Product is listed by any board or authority.’
It can be mentioned that the matter was added to recruitment rules of 1996 by targeting the holders of professional diploma certificates obtained from approved and recognised institutes at home and abroad. Nazrul Islam could not clear his 3rd class in the graduation even after appearing examination twice.
The NIMC director is now trying to present him as pro-BNP official, but he maintained close links with Mohammad A Arafat, former state minister for information and broadcasting of Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League government, Dr Murad Hasan, another former state minister, Mozammel Babu, a pro-Awami League journalist, and such others.
When the journalists boycotted Bangladesh Bank in protest against the ban on their access to the country’s central bank, at that time on May 8 in 2024, Nazrul played a vital role in arranging a workshop at NIMC for the journalists of the Economic Reporters Forum (ERF). It was learnt that Mohammad A Arafat assigned him to implement the event. Mozammel Babu was named as the guest on the banner of the event.
An NIMC official said that the main purpose of Mohammad A Arafat and Nazrul to arrange the workshop to convince the ERF members for not to disclose bank loot of the Awami League government and justify the journalists banned to enter the Bangladesh Bank.
Despite having no involvement, Nazrul brings a woman named Preeta in the PS identity of Mozammel Babu. The participants staged protest when Preeta questioned the competence of professional journalists. Mohammad A Arafat, who was present at the event, handled the situation.
Manik Muntasir, a member of ERF who attended the workshop at NIMC, on Friday told the Bangladesh Post that although Preeta is not a journalist she joined the NIMC workshop which was arranged only for the journalists. The woman used unprofessional language against journalists in that event, he said.
For mysterious reasons, Nazrul has been serving as the project director of the Children and Women Development Communication Project of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting for years. But the officials of this project have changed many times in other departments. An officer can perform this duty for a maximum of three years. He has been involved in the project for 20 years and while performing the duties of the assistant project director since 10 years.
He also held the responsibility of implementing the NIMC part of the project ‘Platform for Dialogue’.
Md Nazrul Islam establishes supremacy in NIMC. No activities can go on in the institution without his intervention. As a result, he uses three cars of NIMC to come to office even through resides in a residential area just 100 meters away from the office. His family members also use the vehicles.
When contacted for comment, Sufi Zakir Hossain, director general of the National Institute of Mass Communication-NIMC; declined to comment.
