Four men have been detained at the Secretariat in Dhaka after attempting to assume public sector positions secured through fraudulent examination proxies. The suspects allegedly hired impersonators to sit both their written and oral tests, operating under the assumption that the deception would remain undetected once official appointment letters were issued.
The enterprise unravelled on Tuesday, 19 September, when the individuals arrived at the Ministry of Public Administration to formally take up their posts as ‘Office Assistants’. During the final verification procedures, ministry officials uncovered the discrepancies, leading to the immediate detention of the men and their subsequent transfer to law enforcement custody. A formal criminal case has been registered against the suspects at the Shahbagh Police Station.
The authorities have identified the detained individuals as Mohammad Abdul Halim (roll number 19004481) from Gopalpur Upazila, Tangail; Mohammad Ali Haidar (roll number 19016391) from Chouhali Upazila, Sirajganj; Mohammad Rasel Rana Liton (roll number 19011933) from Nageshwari Upazila, Kurigram; and Mohammad Masud Fakir (roll number 19019257) from Sreepur Upazila, Gazipur.
Strict Security Measures Foil Impersonation Attempt
The recruitment process for the Grade-20 Office Assistant positions involved oral examinations conducted on 24, 25, and 28 August. To safeguard the integrity of the selection process and deter fraudulent practices, the ministry had instituted a strict protocol requiring photographic records of every candidate presenting themselves for the viva voce.
The newly appointed candidates were instructed to report for duty at 10:00 am on 19 September at Room 1, Building 3 of the Secretariat complex. Upon reviewing the paperwork of the four accused, scrutinising officials grew suspicious of their identities. The ministry staff cross-referenced the physical features of the men with the digital photographs captured during the August interviews, revealing unmistakable mismatches.
Confronted with the photographic evidence, the four suspects confessed under initial questioning that they had financial arrangements with proxy candidates to take the examinations in their stead. The individuals subsequently signed written admissions of guilt prior to being formally arrested by the police.
The Growing Challenge of Public Sector Recruitment Rings
Securing a position within the civil service remains highly sought after due to the long-term job security, social prestige, and robust benefits package it provides. This intense competition has inadvertently fuelled an underground market of fraudulent syndicates and proxy rings targeting vulnerable or desperate job seekers with promises of guaranteed placement in exchange for large sums of money.
The successful interception of these individuals by the Ministry of Public Administration emphasizes the critical role that comprehensive biometric and photographic verification plays at every tier of public sector hiring. Although digital safeguards have significantly increased the difficulty of bypassing recruitment systems, the attempt to enter the Secretariat—the central hub of state administration—underscores the persistent pressure on authorities to protect the credibility of public service entry standards.
Law enforcement agencies are currently extending their investigations to determine whether a wider organized network assisted these four candidates in navigating the preliminary stages of the selection process.
