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Government Ends Practice of Inflating Pass Rates and GPA-5 Scores: Mahdi Amin

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  Government Ends Practice of Inflating Pass Rates and GPA-5 Scores: Mahdi Amin The government has moved away from the long-standing practice of artificially increasing examination pass rates and the number of GPA-5 achievers, Prime Minister's Adviser for Education and Primary and Mass Education Mahdi Amin said today. He said the Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) and equivalent examination results now reflect a more transparent, objective and merit-based assessment of students. Mahdi Amin also announced that students who failed in one or two subjects would be given an opportunity to retake the examinations within a month. A comprehensive answer-script re-evaluation system, similar to the one used in the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) examinations, has also been introduced. He made the remarks at a press conference held at the Ministry of Education's conference room at the Secretariat. Education and Primary and Mass Education Minister ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milon formally announ...
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Bangladeshis Recruited for Jobs in Russia Allegedly Sent to War Front as ‘Bait’; 20 Killed, SRB Says

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Bangladeshis Recruited for Jobs in Russia Allegedly Sent to War Front as ‘Bait’; 20 Killed, SRB Says

Thirty Bangladeshis travelled to Russia after being promised jobs at construction companies. However, instead of receiving the employment they had been promised, they allegedly had their passports and mobile phones confiscated and were handed over to the Russian military.

After just 21 days of military training, they were deployed to the Russia-Ukraine war zone.

According to a preliminary investigation by Bangladesh’s Special Response Battalion (SRB), at least 20 of the 30 Bangladeshis have died in drone strikes. Investigators suspect they were deliberately sent to the battlefield as ‘bait’ to help identify enemy positions.

Additional Deputy Inspector General Md Asaduzzaman, commander of SRB-10 Battalion, disclosed the findings at a press conference in Karwan Bazar, Dhaka, on Wednesday.

Two people have been arrested in connection with the alleged human trafficking operation: Mizanur Rahman, 55, founder of Jabal-e-Noor International and a key figure in the suspected trafficking network, and Abu Taher, also known as Lentu.

Promised Construction Jobs, Sent to the Battlefield

According to the SRB, the 30 Bangladeshis travelled to Russia on 7 May this year through three companies: Jabal-e-Noor, RS International and TS Group. Each person reportedly paid an average of around Tk 1 million after being promised construction work.

However, after arriving in Russia, they were allegedly handed over to the military rather than being given the jobs they had been promised. Following 21 days of training, they were sent to the battlefield.

“The people taken from Bangladesh were not fit for combat. They had no physical, military or tactical training suitable for warfare. So why were they deployed after just 21 days of training?” Asaduzzaman said.

He added that investigators believed the men had been used as bait to identify enemy positions. According to the preliminary findings, when opposing forces launched drone attacks against them, the strikes could help reveal the attackers’ positions and distance.

Twenty Deaths Reported

The SRB said the Bangladeshis were deployed across three areas of the battlefield: the front, middle and rear zones.

Seventeen reportedly died in drone strikes on their first day at the front. Three others died at different times later, bringing the provisional death toll to 20.

Asaduzzaman said two survivors had returned to Bangladesh with injuries.

One of them, Rajan, said a drone strike fractured his pelvis and paralysed the lower half of his body. Despite his injuries, he managed to reach a camp by crawling on his chest for nearly four kilometres.

Of the remaining eight Bangladeshis, two are reportedly receiving treatment at a hospital in Moscow, while the other six remain on the battlefield.

International Network Under Investigation

According to the SRB, the suspected trafficking network included individuals from outside Bangladesh, including a Russian national named Igor and a Kyrgyz woman named Julia.

Investigators are gathering information about their involvement and conducting operations to locate them. Authorities are also trying to arrest another alleged member of the network, Mostafizur.

Asaduzzaman said preliminary findings suggested that people from several countries had been recruited through similar methods and sent to fight in Russia’s war.

The Bangladeshis involved in this case reportedly came from several districts, particularly Gopalganj, Mymensingh, Narayanganj, Jamalpur, Pabna, Chapainawabganj, Faridpur, Rajbari and Gazipur.

Poor Families Left in Distress

Asaduzzaman said most of the victims came from financially disadvantaged families. Some had borrowed money to pay recruiters and travel abroad in the hope of securing better-paying jobs.

Many families have reportedly received news that their loved ones have died, but they have little opportunity to see their bodies or bring them back to Bangladesh.

The SRB has urged people seeking overseas employment to exercise extreme caution, especially when asked to pay large sums to recruitment agencies or intermediaries.

Authorities have also advised prospective migrant workers to verify the legitimacy of employers and recruitment companies before travelling abroad.

The investigation into the alleged trafficking network and the circumstances surrounding the deaths is ongoing.

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