Ali Akbar Khan, the former chairman of the Bangladesh Technical Education Board (BTEB), has been summoned for questioning by Detective Branch (DB) of police in the ongoing investigation into certificate forgery.
"We have called him to the DB office tomorrow for quizzing. Later, we will also call those whose names surfaced during the investigation," said Harun-Or-Rashid, chief of the Detective Branch (DB) during a press conference held at the DMP media centre.
The decision to summon Ali Akbar Khan follows the designation of him as OSD (officer on special duty) after detectives uncovered financial transactions between his wife, Sehela Parveen, and a gang involved in the production and distribution of counterfeit certificates.
Sehela Parveen, aged 54, was apprehended at her residence in Uttara by a team of Detective Branch officers. She has been identified as a key figure in the racket producing fake certificates, marksheets, registration, and admission cards affiliated with BTEB.
Investigators revealed that the syndicate profited significantly, issuing over 5,000 counterfeit certificates and marksheets over several years.
They even provided certificates to individuals who were not enrolled as students.
Earlier on 1 April, DB officers arrested BTEB system analyst AKM Shamsuzzaman and an accomplice named Faisal.
The arrests led to the recovery of hundreds of fake certificates, mark sheets, registration cards, admit cards, original certificates, and blank copies of mark sheets stolen from BTEB.
Subsequently, a case was filed against them under the Cyber Security Act the next day.
Further investigations based on information obtained from the initial arrests led to the apprehension of Sanjida Akhter Koli, director of Gorai Survey Institute, on April 5 in Kushita.
On April 18, the DB made additional arrests, nabbing Sarder Golam Mostafa alias Mostafizur Rahman, 48, principal of Hilful Fuzul Technical and BM College, and Maksudur Rahman alias Mamun, 40, director of Dhaka Technical School and College (Medical), from Mirpur and Jatrabari areas respectively.
DB officials have identified a "close" relationship between Shamsuzzaman, Sanjida Akhter Koli, and Sehela Parveen.
According to sources within the DB, the syndicate charged anywhere between Tk 15,000 and Tk 50,000 for a counterfeit certificate.
Chief Harun emphasised that they have identified 25 to 30 more individuals involved in the syndicate, indicating that legal action will be taken against anyone found complicit in the fraudulent activities.
