Massive IELTS Exam Paper Leak Racket Exposed

Dhaka Police Bust Sophisticated IELTS Question Leak Racket

Dhaka police on Saturday arrested Md Mamun Khan (37) and his associate Panna Poonam Halder, alias Keya (26), for running an organised racket that sold leaked IELTS exam papers to students.

The arrests came after a Daily Sun tip-off, which had been probing the network for months. Acting on intelligence, joint forces tracked the duo and raided them just hours after an exam.

Police said Mamun and Keya arranged lodging for students and their guardians the night before tests, provided them with leaked questions, and then escorted them to exam centres across Dhaka. Officers also seized Tk8.38 lakh in cash and eight mobile phones during the operation.

Students who followed the racket’s instructions reportedly achieved their desired band scores, raising alarm over the credibility of IELTS exams in Bangladesh.

Months of Daily Sun Investigation

Daily Sun’s undercover investigation uncovered a larger racket involving at least five others – Miraz Hossain, Prince, Mehedi, Gias, and Tarek Aziz, an officer at TK Food Products Distribution Ltd.

The probe began in January and intensified in April when correspondents went undercover at hotels where students were being coached with leaked papers.

On 25 April, a correspondent stayed at Hotel Afford Inn, Uttara, where around 100 students were given leaked questions at midnight and divided into teams by exam centres. The next morning, they were transported by minibuses, microbuses, and CNGs to centres including Patronas (Panthapath), Compass (Banani), IALC (Dhanmondi), and Penstone (Uttara).

On 23 May, a similar operation was observed at Hotel Central Inn, Motijheel, involving 120–130 students. The following day, Daily Sun obtained a full IELTS question set at 9:45am—over three hours before the 1pm exam. Beneficiaries later confirmed their answers matched the leaked paper “100%.”

Payments reportedly ranged between Tk1.25–3 lakh, usually settled after the exam.

Several students testified to Daily Sun:

• Md Al Amin Mia said he paid Tk2.2 lakh to be included.

• Arshadur Rahman admitted paying Tk1.4 lakh for his score.

• Shoylen Chakma, a sub-assistant engineer at the UGC, revealed he spent Tk2 lakh, saying, “My answers in all three parts matched exactly.”

In the latest scam, student Md Nadit Hasan Rocky confessed he had been coached by Mamun since February and eventually paid Tk1.8 lakh for leaked answers that “matched 100%.”

Daily Sun says it has audio and video evidence confirming these claims.

How the Syndicate Operated

The racket reportedly worked in collusion with IELTS coaching centres and online platforms, who funneled students to the network for commission.

• Registration Control: Students first paid the official IELTS fee (Tk24,950, later raised to Tk28,450). The syndicate controlled registration to influence exam dates.

• Pre-Exam Ritual: Candidates were gathered two days before the test, stripped of devices, and lodged in hotels under syndicate control. Guardians waited separately with payments.

• Night Coaching: From 1:30am, students were divided by exam centre, searched with metal detectors, and given leaked questions. Writing answers were provided first, then Reading and Listening by morning.

• Transport to Centres: At 10am, groups were escorted to centres in pre-arranged vehicles. After exams, guardians confirmed the leak’s accuracy before handing over payments.

The Role of Tarek Aziz

Investigations identified Tarek Aziz as a key agent. He demanded Tk2.7 lakh per student and claimed the racket had been active since 2019. Aziz alleged links with Cambridge English, IDP Bangladesh, and British Council, saying he spent Tk2.5 crore to secure questions.

Authorities Respond

IELTS in Bangladesh is conducted by the British Council and IDP Education.

When asked, Elora Shahab Sharme, Head of IELTS Operations at IDP Bangladesh, declined comment, citing protocol. The British Council did not respond to repeated queries.

Saturday’s Operation

On Friday, Mamun and his team lodged students at Hotel West Valley (Nadda, Gulshan) while guardians stayed at Amazon Lily Lake View Residence (Banani). Students were given leaked papers overnight and transported to centres including Compass Education, SALT Lab, Opportunity JFP Branch, and BARC.

When a Daily Sun reporter confronted Mamun after the exam, he attacked the journalist but was restrained by locals until police arrived.

OC Md Russell Sarwar (Banani Police Station) confirmed that Mamun and Keya were arrested and produced before court on Sunday. Police sought a three-day remand, but the court rejected bail and sent them to jail.

Threat to Bangladesh’s Academic Reputation

Experts warn the scandal poses a serious risk to the country’s global academic credibility.

Dr Iftekharuzzaman, Executive Director of TIB, told Daily Sun:
“If the IELTS leak is proven, Bangladesh’s test centres risk cancellation. The British Council and IDP must take full responsibility, since Cambridge sends papers here as elsewhere. Such a leak cannot happen without insider involvement.”

He stressed that while exam leaks are unfortunately common in Bangladesh, an IELTS leak is unprecedented and reflects serious systemic failure.