Ex-police DIG accused of using fake certificates for college approval in Sunamganj

Former Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police, Abdul Baten, has been made accused of opening a college branch in Sunamganj’s Madhyanagar upazila by ignoring government policies and using fake certificates.

An investigation revealed that the Layechh Bhuiyan High School was established in 2016 with funding from Qatar Charitable Society (Qatar Charity). Despite the funding, the school was named after Abdul Baten’s father.

According to regulations for establishing private colleges, a new college or higher secondary branch must be at least six kilometres away from the nearest equivalent institution and the area must have a population of at least 75,000. These conditions were not met when the college branch was opened at the school.

Under government rules, the distance certificate must be signed by the UNO, and the population report by the Upazila Statistical Officer.

Madhyanagar Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Ujjal Ray said, “The distance between Layechh Bhuiyan High School and Banshikunda College is at most two to two and a half kilometres.”

Musfiqur Rahman Parvez, Deputy Director of Sunamganj District Statistics Office and Acting Upazila Statistical Officer for Madhya Nagar, reported that the total population of Madhya Nagar Upazila is 96,237. Since each college requires a population of 75,000, there is no eligibility for another college in this upazila based on population after Banshikunda College was established in 2013.

Mahbubul Alam, Upazila Secondary Education Officer, confirmed that while files for all secondary and higher secondary institutions are at his office, there is no information regarding a college branch for Layechh Bhuiyan High School.

Due to his high-ranking position in the police, Abdul Baten Bhuiyan, in collusion with the then-UNO and Upazila Statistical Officer, created fake distance and population certificates. He then allegedly used these fake documents, with the help of corrupt officials in the education ministry, to get approval for the college branch at the school. In reality, the school is only two and a half kilometres from Banshikunda College.

It is also alleged that Abdul Baten used Qatar Charity’s funds to buy land and build the school, taking financial control of the project and naming the institution after his father. He reportedly also initiated several other projects under his control with Qatar Charity’s money, including a madrasa named after his mother, a cluster village for the landless and multi-storey buildings.

It’s claimed that Baten and his family members have embezzled nearly Tk one hundred crore from these projects.

It has been reported that Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has two ongoing cases against Abdul Baten and his wife for bribery, corruption, illegal asset acquisition and suspicious financial transactions.

Locals claim that Abdul Baten and his family’s involvement in various controversial activities, from controlling border smuggling to running unauthorised cattle markets, is an open secret.

Abdul Baten could not be reached for comment as he is a fugitive and his family members declined to speak.

Professor Md Anwar Hossain Chowdhury, Chairman of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board of Sylhet, said, “If we receive a written complaint regarding the approval of the college branch based on fake certificates and false information, we will investigate and take necessary action.”