IT Officer Suspended Over Scholarship Result Leak

A major concern over digital governance and information security has emerged after the results of the Primary Scholarship Examination 2025 appeared online before their official publication. Following the incident, the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education has temporarily suspended Md. Mehtab Qayes, Assistant Maintenance Engineer of the Directorate of Primary Education.

According to an official notification signed on 10 July, Friday, by Ministry Secretary Sakhawat Hossain, the official allegedly failed to follow the prescribed security protocols while uploading the examination results to the government web portal before formal approval by the competent authority. He has been suspended under Article 12(1) of the Government Servants (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 2018 on charges of misconduct.

The order states that the suspension is effective from 9 July 2026, the date the results were uploaded. During the suspension period, he will receive subsistence allowance in accordance with government rules.

Earlier, on 9 July, Thursday, the Directorate of Primary Education formed a three-member investigation committee through an office order signed by Director (Administration) Mahbuba Irene.

The committee is headed by Director (Planning and Development) Mirajul Islam Ukil. The other members are Education Officer Ziaul Kabir Sumon and Assistant Director Mohammad Rokhsana Haidar, who will serve as the member secretary.

According to the office order, the scholarship examination results were finalized on 8 July 2026. Mehtab Qayes was assigned to prepare the web links required for publishing the results. He was instructed not to upload the results before receiving official authorization.

However, investigators say that at around 10:00 a.m. on 9 July, the results of nine districts under the Dhaka Division were uploaded to the portal. Although the links remained active for only a short period, users downloaded the files and widely shared them on Facebook and other social media platforms.

Officials said the results could not be officially published on schedule due to a technical problem. Meanwhile, partial copies circulating online created confusion among teachers, students and parents, many of whom congratulated successful candidates before the authenticity of the leaked results came under question.

Following widespread discussion throughout the day, the government issued a statement, formed an investigation committee and subsequently suspended the accused official. The investigation is expected to focus on compliance with cybersecurity measures, digital infrastructure protection and security protocols governing government web services.

//DBTech/JNP/EK//