It has been alleged that the former managing committee and head teachers of Nakol Raicharan Secondary School under Sreepur Police Station in Magura district have embezzled nearly Tk 40 million.

Despite repeated requests by the current adhoc managing committee to submit financial records, the accused have ignored them.

During the tenure of the past government, this syndicate held absolute control over the school. Teachers, staff, and guardians were at their mercy. The institution's rules and infrastructure had collapsed.

Former Managing Committee President Humayunur Rashid Muhit, member Subrata Kumar Biswas and former head teacher A.S.M. Rafiqul Ala jointly embezzled BDT 36,501,631.

Additionally, the current head teacher Sheikh Abdul Mannan is accused of embezzling BDT 2,424,483 within 11 months of joining and misappropriating BDT 104,200 from the 2024 student stipend fund.

President of the school’s managing committee, Mirza Walid Hossain, has filed a written complaint with the chairman of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) demanding appropriate punishment for the accused and recovery of the embezzled funds.

He has also filed complaints with the Directorate of Inspection and Audit, President of the Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education, Jessore, and the Deputy Commissioner of Magura.

An internal audit was scheduled for February 26, 2025, as per the decision of the current managing committee. No audit had been done in the past decade. However, despite repeated requests from the audit committee, Sheikh Abdul Mannan failed to provide the necessary documents. A formal request was submitted on March 11, but he only submitted partial documents on April 12. He did not submit any contract papers for 108 newly constructed shops, which were allocated without any tendering process. Two months later, on June 14, he submitted photocopies of 35 deeds collected from shop owners.

Former head teacher A.S.M. Rafiqul Ala retired on February 7, 2024, but has not handed over any financial records. It remains unclear who approved his financial clearance. From December 1, 2018, to February 28, 2025, the school earned BDT 41,345,661 from various sources including tuition, shop rent, exam and registration fees, grants, stipends, and bank interest. However, only BDT 27,102,213 is shown in the official cashbook, leaving BDT 14,243,448 unaccounted for. Of the declared income, BDT 11,048,581 was deposited into Janata Bank (A/C: 048734000025), leaving BDT 15,961,632 missing.

Spending was documented through fictitious, unapproved, and unsigned vouchers. The total embezzled amount stands at BDT 30,287,080. According to the rent collection register, BDT 19,374,800 was received as advance from 87 shops (allocated without tenders), and BDT 4,410,000 from 21 under-construction shops.

Receipts show that A.S.M. Rafiqul Ala and construction committee head Subrata Kumar Biswas collected BDT 23,748,800. Of that, BDT 9,459,352 is shown as shop rent income; the rest (BDT 14,348,448) is unaccounted for. Although each shop was supposed to deposit BDT 300,000, only BDT 23,748,800 was collected instead of BDT 32,400,000, raising allegations of favoritism and embezzlement of BDT 8,651,200.

There is no consistency between the bank account and cashbook. In 2022, BDT 4 million from shop allocations was deposited into the Janata Bank account but not recorded in the cashbook until 2023. Furthermore, BDT 5.1 million was illegally transferred to former President Humayunur Rashid Muhit's account (TopTen Brickfield, A/C: 010011844145).

Bank statements reveal BDT 3 million was transferred in six installments (BDT 500,000 each) in December 2022 and March and November 2023. On January 11, 2024, two checks (Nos. 60067498503 and 60067498504) of BDT 1.6 million and BDT 500,000 respectively were also issued, totaling BDT 2.1 million.

On June 26, 2023, former head teacher A.S.M. Rafiqul Ala withdrew BDT 1.5 million using check No. 60051477370. He also withdrew BDT 300,000 on January 15, 2024, and BDT 500,000 on January 30, just eight days before retirement.

Shop allotment agreements show that several stamp papers were purchased in 2022, but agreements were backdated to 2021. Although Rafiqul Ala retired on February 7, 2024, he still allocated shops on March 1, 2024, without handing over any records.

Due to the absence of a handover, acting head teacher Munir Hossain wrote to the District Education Officer on March 14, 2024. Rafiqul Ala submitted unverified and unsigned vouchers to the office for audit. When asked, current head teacher Sheikh Abdul Mannan denied any knowledge of them.

To cover up the corruption, the former managing committee unlawfully suspended acting head teacher Munir Hossain without any notice and assigned the role to assistant teacher Subarna Zaman; violating Education Ministry Circular No. 37.00.0000.074.002.001.2021.51 dated 05/02/2024.

According to that circular, only the assistant head teacher can serve as acting head teacher.

The recruitment board for the head teacher included Munir Hossain as member secretary. However, he was suspended without notice and replaced without forming a new board. There is no resolution in the resolution book regarding his suspension or the formation of a new board. The school committee deems this appointment process completely illegal and demands legal action.

During Rafiqul Ala’s tenure, total income shown in the cashbook and bank was BDT 23,531,802. Of this, only BDT 10,208,19 was deposited in the bank. The remaining BDT 13,510,983 was spent outside the bank using unverified vouchers. Additionally, BDT 14,348,448 remains undisclosed in the cashbook, and BDT 8,652,000 was embezzled through favoritism—totaling BDT 27,640,441 in financial irregularities. Total embezzled from shop allocations alone stands at BDT 35,016,631.

During acting head teacher Munir Hossain's term, the final audit showed total income of BDT 118,110. Of this, BDT 91,944 was deposited in the bank. From the remaining BDT 26,166, BDT 18,000 was submitted to the Upazila Nirbahi Officer with approval. The rest, BDT 8,166, was spent via petty cash with proper vouchers. Munir Hossain took charge on February 8, 2024.

On April 1, 2024, he was suspended without notice and replaced by Subarna Zaman. On April 5, 2024, a head teacher recruitment exam was held without forming a new board, and the recruitment was approved on the same day. The new head teacher joined on April 8, 2024. The school committee and guardians are stunned by this unprecedented rush.

Historical records show that even for Class IV staff, the recruitment board was never formed and executed on the same day. A recruitment board had been unanimously formed on March 21, 2024, listing Munir Hossain as member secretary. The next meeting was scheduled for March 25 but reportedly never took place. Still, former President Humayunur Rashid Muhit signed off on the date and canceled the meeting unilaterally. The resolution book has no mention of forming a new board or appointing Subarna Zaman.

These irregularities have raised questions about the legality of the new head teacher's appointment. The affected parties are demanding legal action against all involved.

During current head teacher Sheikh Abdul Mannan’s term (April 8, 2024 to February 2025), total reported income was BDT 3,360,301. Of that, BDT 2,329,900 came in by December 2024, but only BDT 935,818 was deposited in the bank. The remaining BDT 1,394,082 was not. In January and February 2025, an additional BDT 1,030,401 was earned but none was deposited. Total unaccounted cash = BDT 2,424,483. It has been reported that vouchers for staff salaries and other expenses were unauthorized, unsigned, and fabricated.

It was found that the current head teacher used school funds to fight lawsuits in the school's name—even though some recruitment board members themselves were accused. In some months, multiple inflated vouchers were submitted for the same expense category.

Meeting records from April 20, 2019, show that scholarship fund interest should be used for scholarships for poor, meritorious students. However, on June 10, 2024, BDT 104,200 was transferred from the stipend fund to the school’s account (A/C: 048734000025), and it has yet to be disbursed to any students.

To date, former head teacher A.S.M. Rafiqul Ala has not handed over any financial records. The current school President and managing committee do not even know if the current head teacher formally requested the handover.

Several attempts to contact the accused for comment on these matters were unsuccessful.