Six invigilators who were on duty during an HSC exam were relieved of their responsibilities for failing to maintain discipline in the exam hall and allowing several students to cheat.
The incident occurred on Thursday during the English second paper exam at the Barhatta Coronation Krishna Prasad Government Pilot High School examination centre.
Ten Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) examinees from the same college were also expelled as a result, with nine amongst them caught using smartphones, while one was found with handwritten notes.
Confirming the expulsions, Barhatta Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Khabirul Ahsan said all the expelled students are from Barhatta Government College.
It was reported that several students were openly using mobile phones to cheat during the exam. The centre has a prior record of irregularities during public examinations.
The UNO stated that the mobile phones used during the cheating were seized and that the expelled students will not be allowed to sit for any further exams this year.