One out of 88 DCC typists passes test

Trackback URL

Download PDF

Bribery was the key to landing a job for 88 typists at the Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) in 2006.

The taskforce that is currently investigating irregularities at the DCC has made the discovery, said sources.

Investigators of the taskforce found out that each of the 88 new recruits paid between Tk 1 lakh and 1.5 lakh for the job to a section of dishonest DCC officials, the sources added.

Sources at the taskforce said after the discovery, the taskforce from January 7 to 13 of this year arranged re-examination sessions for the recruits, but only one of the 88 was able to exceed the minimum required typing speed — 30 words per minute (wpm) in Bangla and 40wpm in English.

After reviewing the test results, the taskforce informed the higher authorities concerned of their findings and recommended punitive measures against the individuals involved in the anomalies.

The DCC, in order to hire new typists, arranged written examination on March 11, 2006 and oral examination on April 28 the same year, the sources said adding that 131 candidates took the oral exam and 88 among them were awarded employment.

However, in the tests given by the taskforce, all but one of these recruits failed to prove themselves qualified for the job, said the taskforce sources. Although five of them typed over 30wpm in Bangla, they could not pass the English typing test, they added.

When DCC officials were asked to present the exam sheets from the written exam given by the DCC in 2006, the taskforce was told that the exam sheets have gone missing, said taskforce officials.

The taskforce officials contemplate that the DCC officials who took bribe from the recruits must have destroyed or disposed of the exam sheets.

The Daily Star yesterday contacted DCC Mayor Sadeque Hossain Khoka for his comments over the findings of the taskforce. He said he was not aware of the matter.

Asked about missing files of exam sheets, he said, “I do not [personally] preserve the files. And therefore, it is not possible for me to know whether any file has gone missing.”

Regarding the re-examination of typists, Khoka said, “I don’t recall whether the taskforce officials have arranged any examination.”

Leave a Reply