The authorities of Comilla University have decided to take departmental action against a teacher who pointed out an anomaly in the 2019-2020 admission process because they found him guilty of leaking the information to the media.

Mahbubul Haque Bhuiyan, assistant professor of mass communication and journalism department, pointed out that an applicant had placed 12th on the merit list despite being absent during the admission test.

A syndicate meeting on Sunday decided to take departmental action against him, confirmed Dr Md Abu Taher, registrar (additional charges) of the university.

"A probe committee found him guilty in connection with leaking information about an absent candidate who placed 12th in the 2019-20 session admission test," he told our Cumilla correspondent yesterday.

Mahbubul yesterday denied that he had leaked the information about the anomaly to journalists.

The syndicate's decision shocked Mahbubul's colleagues in different universities.

The B-unit admission test was held on November 8, 2019 when applicant Sazzatul Islam was absent from the Teachers Training College in the district.

But Sazzatul placed 12th on the merit list in the results published on November 12.

This was reported widely in the media as the authorities had allegedly called him for viva voce.

People took to the street to protest it. The authorities later formed two probe committees -- one to investigate the incident and another to identify those who shared the information with the media.

After a few days, the university authorities held a press conference and said no fraudulence had taken place and that a student had mistakenly filled up the roll number of the absentee applicant.

"Even if it was done by mistake, there was negligence of the teacher concerned. The authorities did not take any steps but decided to punish Mahbubul," said a colleague of the teacher.

"Was it confidential information? Mahbubul, then member secretary of B-unit's admit card scrutinising committee, and his team should have been rewarded as they found out the fault in the admission process," he said.

Dr Asaduzzaman, the head of the probe committee which investigated the "information leakage", is now the treasurer of the university.

"Our responsibility was to find those who exposed the information to the media. After analysing information and call records, we found Mahbubul Haque Bhuiyan guilty. So, we suggested departmental action against him," he said.

Registrar Abu Taher, also a syndicate member, said, "The report was placed to the syndicate meeting, which then decided to take departmental action.

Talking to reporters at the university yesterday, Mahbubul said he did not share information with any journalist.

"I want to know how I am involved… Make the probe report public," he demanded.

He claimed they wrote about the fault to the concerned authorities of the B-unit admission test, yet the absent applicant was called for viva voce.

"I wanted to know whether any steps have been taken against those whose negligence led to the anomaly and tarnished the image of the university," he said.