64 DU students face punishment for exam cheating

Dhaka University authorities have penalised 64 students, including leaders of Chhatra Dal, Chhatra League, and Hall Union, for varying terms following allegations of unfair means during examinations.

Among those penalised, two students from the Department of Mass Communication and Journalism received penalties after invigilators caught them cheating using digital devices and artificial intelligence.

The university's syndicate officially finalized the disciplinary actions following recommendations from the Disciplinary Council.

According to university sources, invigilators caught Fathun Karib Chowdhury, a member of freedom fighter Ziaur Rahman Hall Chhatra Dal, using a mobile phone hidden between his legs during an examination on 11 June. Upon inspecting the device at 10:17am, teachers found search records on Google's AI service Gemini matching two lines already written on his answer sheet. The university syndicate imposed an "Exam+2" punishment on Chowdhury, cancelling his relevant exam and barring him from sitting the next two examinations.

In a separate incident during a retake examination for course 107, Md Ferdous Rahman, an elected executive member of Haji Muhammad Muhsin Hall Union from the Shibir-backed panel, left the hall around 11:00 am citing a toilet break. Invigilators caught him in the department corridor attempting to search exam questions on ChatGPT using a senior student's smartphone. The phone's search history showed queries strictly related to the exam paper. The university handed Ferdous an "Exam+1" penalty, which cancels the affected paper and bars him from taking the subsequent exam.

The punishment list also includes Chhatra League leader Ayan Abdullah, former deputy office secretary of DUCSU Surja Sen Hall Chhatra League and candidate in the DUCSU elections. The university penalised Abdullah with an "Exam+1" term for exam malpractice.

The Vice-Chancellor, Prof ABM Obaidul Islam, chaired the syndicate meeting on 31 August that finalized the penal measures based on the 20 August Disciplinary Council recommendations. Acting Controller of Examinations Himadri Shekhar Chakraborty confirmed the decision through an official order issued on 7 September.

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The 7 September order covers 64 other students from various departments, institutes, and affiliated colleges who received "Exam+1", "Exam+2", or "Exam+3" penalties for academic offenses. Among those penalised are Kaysufun Nesa, Fahmid Tausif Islam, Md Zayedul Alam Abir, Momi Bhattacharya, Md Saifuzzaman, Nipu Akhter, Sufia Khatun, Barai Nipu Rani, Ashraful Islam, Farhana Akhter Mimi, Syed Shafqat Jamil, Md Junaid Khan Rayan, Md Asif Iqbal, Ashraf Hossain, Tanushree Biswas, Sumaiya Waishe, Gobinda Banik, Abu Zubair, Sabbir Uddin Rion, Md Hayat Mahmud, Md Miraj Hossain, Saifur Rahman, Urmi Akhter, Atiq Hasan, Arjo Banerjee, Fariha Mehzabin, Mahmudul Hasan, Maliha Tabassum, Nurul Absar Samrat, Farhan Ahmed, Ittaba Muttaki Khan Taqi, Zargar Faisal Altaf, Md Kiran Hossain, Sadia Akhter, Mahmud Nur Maruf, Md Masum Billah, Md Sohag Mia, Rakibul Islam, Md Tamzid, Mahadi Hasan Islam, Raj Talukder Joy, Nabil Ahmed Rudra, Fatema Pushpa, Md Sabbir Hosan, Mohammad Hossain, Saida Shamima Tabassum, Md Sohel Rana, Samira Sultana, Hasan Md Mehedi, Tasnim Azad Toha, Rafiqul Islam, Kazi Mohaiminul Islam, Sheikh Fazilatunnesa, Md Shakibul Islam, Al Zubayer, Md Zahidul Islam, Mukidunnesa, and Sajib Mallick.

Under Dhaka University regulations, an "Exam+1" penalty cancels the candidate's exam paper and debars them from participating in the next exam. Correspondingly, "Exam+2" and "Exam+3" punishments cancel the exam paper concerned and prohibit students from taking the next two and three scheduled examinations respectively.