Bank entry exam ends in chaos

The professional recrui-tment tests for eight state-owned banks have ended in disarray in two centers after a large number of candidates could not find a place to sit in those centers in Mirpur. The candidates agitated on the street outside the exam halls and damaged the center to vent their anger. The authorities have set January 20 exam date for those 5,600 candidates who failed to enter into the cramped halls in Mirpur Bangla College Center and Shah Ali Mohila College yesterday.

The Management Depa-rtment of Dhaka University was given the responsibilities to conduct the combined entry tests in which over a million job-seekers applied for 7,372 vacant posts in eight banks. They are being selected through 100-marks multiple choice questions to be answered in an hour. Member secretary  of Bankers' Recruitment Committee Md Mosharraf Hossain Khan, who is also a general manager of Bangladesh Bank told bdnews24.com that "those who missed the examinations due to mismanagement can sit for the exam on January 20 at 3pm at the same exam halls where they were supposed to sit - Bangla College and Shah Ali Mohila college in Mirpur."

"I will be there to supervise the situation personally," he added. However, no one from the Management Department of DU was available for comment. The recruitment tests became uncertain following a writ petition, but a chamber judge of the Supreme Court ruled and that the exam could go ahead prompting the authorities to hold the tests yesterday. There were 61 exam centers across the city.

In addition to the inadequate number of seats in two centers, some centers received the question papers late, while there was complaint of 'incongruities' in the paper. The exam in Mirpur College center was held from 4pm to 5pm, said one candidate. After the exams, some of the candidates reported a 'total mismanagement' in arranging the tests.

"Eight to 10 people were asked to sit on one bench. Some of them left with OMR sheet," said Asaduzzaman, who came to Mirpur Shah Ali college with his sister who was a candidate. The exam was later cancelled at the center. Liton Majumder who came from Rajshahi for the test told bdnews24.com that they received the question papers at least 20 later than the exam schedule.

"Some 200 candidates were asked to sit in a room which can accommodate only 80 for the exams," he added.
Office in Charge of Shah Ali Police Station Md Anwar Hossain told bdnews24.com that the heard about the commission at those centers because the candidates failed to sit for the exam.

-AA News Desk