The principal of a madrasa in Pabna’s Bhangura Upazila has been accused of remaining absent from the institution for nearly two years while continuing to draw his salary and allowances by allegedly signing the attendance register during occasional secret visits.
The allegations have been made against Abul Kalam Azad, principal of Chandipur SKB Dakhil Madrasa under Khanmarich Union.
Local residents, teachers and students claim he fled the area following the mass uprising because of his alleged links with the previous Awami League government and has not regularly attended the institution since then. Despite the allegations, no disciplinary action has yet been taken by the education authorities.
A recent visit to the madrasa and interviews with teachers, students and local residents found the principal’s office locked, although his signatures appeared regularly in the attendance register.
Teachers and local people alleged that Azad visits the madrasa once or twice a month, usually late at night or before dawn, to sign the attendance register before leaving. They further claimed that at the end of each month the madrasa clerk submits his salary bill, allowing him to continue receiving his monthly pay.
A teacher, speaking on condition of anonymity, alleged that the principal had taken Tk800,000 from Imran Hossain of Sakuadighi village after promising him a job as a computer operator.
The teacher also alleged that he had collected large sums of money from several others in exchange for promises of fourth-grade staff appointments before going into hiding after the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government.
According to the same teacher, although the principal has remained absent from the madrasa, he has continued signing the attendance register and receiving his salary.
Several Class IX students, including Rahmatullah, Ashikur Rahman and Milon Hasan, said they had not seen the principal at the madrasa for a long time.
Vice-principal Maulana Mojaharul Islam acknowledged that the principal visited the institution only occasionally but said he was unaware of any issues relating to salary payments.
The matter was also raised at the Bhangura Upazila Law and Order Committee’s monthly meeting on 30 June. Upazila Jamaat-e-Islami amir Maulana Mohir Uddin alleged that the principal had remained absent for a prolonged period, severely affecting academic activities, and urged the upazila administration to take action.
Contacted by phone, Abul Kalam Azad denied the allegations. He said he had been suffering from health problems and frequently needed to stay in Dhaka on official business, which explained his absence from the madrasa.
Bhangura Upazila Secondary Education Officer Md Atikuzzaman said salary payments were not processed through his office.
“The principal and the governing body’s chairman sign the salary documents before they are sent directly to the bank. I have no role in that process,” he said.
He added that the principal had previously been served with a show-cause notice over his absence and that the matter had been reported to the district education officer.
Md Arifuzzaman, the Bhangura upazila nirbahi officer (UNO) and chairman of the madrasa’s governing body, said no one should be able to receive a salary without attending the institution.
“After learning of the allegations recently, we have withheld his salary for this month. The matter will be investigated, and if the allegations are proved, appropriate action will be taken. An investigation committee will be formed very soon,” he said.
