Investigate compliance with UGC rules before conferring university degrees: HC
A writ was filed at the High Court on January 26 seeking a directive to stop plagiarism and forgery in research papers for PhD and other equivalent degrees
The High Court today ordered an investigation into whether public and private universities in the country are conferring degrees in compliance with the rules and regulations of the University Grants Commission.
The court also ordered the chairman of the University Grants Commission to submit a report on this issue within three months.
In another order, the court directed the vice chancellor of Dhaka University (DU) to investigate the allegation that 98 percent of a particular research paper by a university teacher had been plagiarised. It also asked the vice chancellor to investigate the matter and submit a report within two months.
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A High Court bench comprising of Justice FRM Nazmul Ahasan and Justice KM Kamrul Quader passed the order and issued a rule after holding a hearing on Tuesday.
In the rule, the court asked why a directive should not be issued to have the PhD research papers of all PhD candidates checked by information technology specialists to see if there has been any plagiarism.
The education secretary, the UGC chairman, the DU vice-chancellor and other respondents have been asked to respond to the rule.
On January 21 this year, a daily newspaper published a report claiming that 98 percent of a Dhaka University teachers' research paper was plagiarised, and was copied word for word from other sources.
The newspaper report claimed that Abul Kalam Lutful Kabir, assistant professor of Pharmaceutical Technology at Dhaka University got a doctorate degree through such a plagiarised thesis paper.
On the basis of the newspaper article, Supreme Court lawyer Md Moniruzzaman Linkon filed a writ at the High Court on January 26 seeking a directive to stop plagiarism and forgery in research papers for PhD and other equivalent degrees.
Moniruzzaman stood for the writ during the hearing on Tuesday while Deputy Attorney General ABM Abdullah Al Mahmud Bashar stood for the state.
Meanwhile, Dhaka University suspended the Pharmaceutical Technology's teacher from administrative and academic activities on January 28, following the report.
