A deceased lecturer of Mohanpur Girls Degree College in Rajshahi was allegedly paid salary and other benefits for nearly two decades despite the college authorities later claiming that his appointment was invalid.
The college principal, Md Abdul Malek Mondal, has also been accused of demanding Tk 500,000 from the lecturer’s wife in exchange for processing documents related to her late husband’s retirement benefits and gratuity.
The allegations are mentioned in an order for the principal’s temporary suspension and a show-cause notice signed by the then president of the college governing body.
According to the documents, the principal himself stated in a reply to a legal notice that the appointment of deceased lecturer Md Selim Ahmed was not valid. The reply also reportedly stated that Selim had been paid salary from December 8, 2002, to 2022.
This has raised a number of questions: If the appointment was invalid, how was Selim allowed to serve for nearly 20 years and receive salary and government benefits? And if there were irregularities in his appointment, why was no action taken to correct or cancel it for such a long period?
Appointment, MPO enlistment and long service
Selim Ahmed's brother, former councillor of Keshorhat Municipality Masud Rana, said Selim was appointed as a lecturer in social welfare at the college in 2000.
He alleged that Selim had to pay Tk 80,000 as a bribe to Principal Abdul Malek Mondal at the time of his appointment.
According to Masud, their father, late Abul Hossain Mia, was a former head teacher of a primary school. After the family somehow managed to arrange the alleged payment, Selim was appointed as a lecturer in social welfare following a decision of the recruitment board held on August 7, 2000.
Masud said an appointment letter signed by Principal Abdul Malek Mondal mentioned August 9, 2000, as the date of appointment. Selim joined the post on August 12.
He was subsequently brought under the MPO scheme on September 1, 2001, with index number 832245.
After serving for around 21 years, Selim suffered a stroke on August 27, 2021. He died at Rajshahi Medical College Hospital on August 29 while undergoing treatment.
Principal’s reply says appointment was ‘invalid’
Selim's wife, Tamanna Yasmin, alleged that after her husband's death, she approached the principal to process the necessary documents for receiving his gratuity and retirement benefits.
She alleged that the principal repeatedly delayed the process.
According to Tamanna, at one point, when she went to the principal's office, Abdul Malek Mondal allegedly demanded Tk 500,000 from her and said the necessary documents concerning her husband's benefits would be processed if she paid the money.
She further alleged that after she refused to pay, the principal asked her to meet him privately outside the college.
Tamanna said she later sent a legal notice to the principal through advocate M Aminul Islam.
In a reply issued from the principal's office against the legal notice, bearing memo no. Mogak/SA/02(3)/2024, the appointment of deceased lecturer Selim Ahmed was reportedly described as invalid.
The development raises a fundamental question: If the appointment was invalid, why was Selim paid salary and benefits for nearly two decades? And if his appointment was valid, why was its legality questioned only after his death when his family sought his retirement benefits?
Nearly Tk 8 million paid in salary?
The order for the principal's temporary suspension, signed by the president of the college governing body, states that Selim was paid salary for a prolonged period.
The document claims that he received approximately Tk 8 million in salary over nearly 20 years.
Quoting the principal's own reply, the suspension order says Selim was paid salary from December 8, 2002, to 2022.
The governing body described the matter as amounting to misappropriation of public funds.
However, if the salary was paid from government funds or government-supported funds, another question arises: Why did the relevant authorities not raise any objection regarding the legality of his appointment earlier?
It also remains to be established whether Selim's appointment documents were properly scrutinised when he was brought under the MPO scheme in 2001.
Retirement documents still not processed
The show-cause notice also refers to the case of deceased lecturer Selim Ahmed.
According to the notice, even around two years after his death, the documents related to his retirement benefits had not been sent to the relevant authorities.
The notice also mentions the allegation that the principal demanded Tk 500,000 from Selim's wife in connection with processing the documents.
Later, on March 21, 2024, the college governing body temporarily suspended Principal Abdul Malek Mondal for allegedly failing to reply to the show-cause notice.
The suspension order mentions allegations including violation of moral discipline, ignoring directives from the governing body president, bribery and corruption.
Family facing financial hardship
According to Selim's family, his last salary scale was around Tk 44,000.
He left behind his wife, Tamanna Yasmin, and two daughters.
His elder daughter, Tanisa, is studying English at Varendra University, while his younger daughter, Tahsina, is a second-year HSC student at Mohanpur Girls Degree College.
The family also said Selim had a consumer loan of around Tk 800,000 with Sonali Bank. According to them, the liability has increased several times with interest.
The family claims that the delay in receiving Selim's gratuity, retirement benefits and other dues has put them under considerable financial pressure.
Calls for investigation
Those concerned have called for a comprehensive examination of the original recruitment documents, recruitment board decision, appointment letter, joining report, MPO enlistment records, index-related documents and the records of salary and benefits paid to Selim throughout his service.
It is also necessary to establish whether any irregularity occurred during his recruitment in 2000, how his documents were scrutinised during MPO enlistment in 2001, and why the same appointment was described as invalid in 2024.
The allegation by Selim's wife that the principal demanded Tk 500,000 also warrants an impartial investigation.
If the allegation is proven, appropriate legal action should be taken against those responsible. If it is found to be unsubstantiated, that should also be made clear.
What the authorities say
Repeated attempts were made to contact Principal Abdul Malek Mondal by phone for his comments on the allegations. He did not answer the calls. A text message was also sent to his mobile phone, but no response was received.
Mahbub Ar Rashid, general secretary of Mohanpur upazila BNP and a teacher representative member of the college, said, “No one has informed me about the matter. It is very unfortunate. If the deceased teacher's wife has made such a complaint, efforts will be made to resolve the matter.”
When contacted by phone for comment, an individual named Obaidur, who answered the phone of National University Acting College Inspector Nazim Uddin Ahmed, said, “Sir is busy in a meeting. It would be better to come directly and take his statement.”
Professor Dr Shamim Ara Chowdhury, chairman (on deputation) of the Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education, Rajshahi, said, “The allegations brought against the principal of Mohanpur Girls Degree College will be investigated and necessary action will be taken.”
Professor Md Humayun Kabir, director of the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education, Rajshahi Region, said, “I have recently joined here and am not aware of the matter. If a written complaint is submitted against the principal of Mohanpur Girls Degree College, it will be investigated and necessary action will be taken.”
The case of Selim Ahmed's appointment has raised several questions that require answers: If his appointment was invalid, how was he allowed to work for nearly 20 years, receive MPO benefits and draw salary? How did the appointment pass through the MPO process? And why was the legality of the appointment questioned only after his death?
A transparent and independent investigation is now needed to establish the facts and determine whether any irregularity occurred in the recruitment, MPO enlistment, payment of salary or processing of the deceased teacher's retirement benefits.
