Panna Kushtia Correspondent : Afroza Akhtar Dew, Organizing Secretary of the Kushtia District Women’s Awami League, has been permanently dismissed from her position as an assistant teacher at Kushtia Collectorate School and College for securing the job using a fake academic certificate. The decision was made by the president of the school’s governing body and Deputy Commissioner of Kushtia, Abu Hena Mohammad Arefin.
On Sunday afternoon, this decision was taken during an executive meeting of the managing committee of the school. Afroza Akhtar Dew is the wife of Rashedul Islam Biplob, Information and Research Secretary of the Kushtia District Awami League.
Afroza was appointed as an assistant teacher on October 18, 2012. She submitted fake Bachelor’s and Master’s certificates in English Literature from a so-called private university named Darul Ihsan to get the job. Despite holding the position with forged documents for a long time, she managed to avoid scrutiny due to her influence.
After the fall of the Awami League government on August 5, Afroza went into hiding. In addition to using fake certificates, she is also accused of embezzling government funds and other forms of corruption. The complaint regarding her forged academic documents was submitted in writing to the Deputy Commissioner and school president by Abdus Sabur, a resident of Philipnagar village in Daulatpur, Kushtia.
Following the complaint, the then Deputy Commissioner Ehtesham Reza formed an investigation committee. During the verification of the academic documents submitted at the time of Afroza’s appointment, it was found that her Bachelor’s (Serial No. 04637) and Master’s (Serial No. 003981) degrees were issued by Darul Ihsan University—a private university that is now blacklisted by the University Grants Commission (UGC) and declared illegal by the High Court. The UGC confirmed both certificates were fake.
Based on this confirmation, the school’s executive committee unanimously decided to permanently dismiss her and recover all salaries, allowances, and other financial benefits she had received during her tenure.
Deputy Commissioner and governing body president Abu Hena Mohammad Arefin confirmed the dismissal, stating that a notice will be issued for the return of all financial benefits. If she fails to repay within the stipulated time, legal action will be taken.
There are additional allegations against Afroza Akhtar Dew, including involvement in criminal activities under the banner of the Women’s Awami League. Her husband, Rashedul Islam Biplob, is also accused of abusing political power for personal gain. The couple reportedly embezzled crores of taka through fake development projects and looted public resources, using their close ties with former Kushtia-3 MP Mahbubul Alam Hanif. After the fall of the last Awami League government, they went into hiding. Both are reportedly accused in several serious cases, including attacks on students and even murder.
