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Kamrul Hasan was appointed as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Jamuna Life Insurance Company, initially presenting an MBA degree from a Deemed University in India. However, three years later, he altered his credentials, claiming to hold both BSS and MBA degrees from IBAIS University, a university deemed illegal by the University Grants Commission (UGC).
Badrul Alam Khan, the chairman of the insurance company, has sought to renew Hasan's appointment as CEO, citing these credentials.
However, in 2016, the government issued a UGC notification declaring that a total of 18 private universities, including Asian University of Bangladesh, The People's University of Bangladesh, and IBAIS University, were ineligible to issue certificates. Subsequently, in 2022, the charters of the last three universities mentioned, namely IBAIS University, America Bangladesh University, and The University of Cumilla, were also invalidated. This means that since 2016, all certificates from IBAIS University have been rendered invalid. Despite this, Kamrul Hasan purportedly presented BSS and MBA degrees from IBAIS University for the position of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Jamuna Life Insurance Company.
Earlier in 2020, Kamrul Hasan had presented an MBA in Distance Education from a Deemed University in Uttar Pradesh, India, during the application process for initial appointment approval. His appointment was subsequently approved in 2022. However, within one year of the approval process, Hasan did not submit any certificates from IBAIS University.
Consequently, doubts have arisen regarding the validity of the BSS and MBA pass certificates from IBAIS University, which were declared invalid by Kamrul Hasan.
However, the chairman of the company, Badrul Alam, informed the regulatory body that he had verified the BSS and MBA pass certificates from IBAIS University and found them to be authentic. He also confirmed the accuracy of Certificate 2 from IBAIS University.
The Insurance Development and Regulatory Authority (IDRA) was instructed to verify Kamrul Hasan's certificate from the University Grants Commission (UGC) and furnish a certificate accordingly.
According to available information, the application for the renewal of Kamrul Hasan's appointment was submitted on November 7, 2023. In this application, Hasan's educational qualification is listed as an MBA pass from a Deemed University in India in 2002. However, certificates for BSS (Economics) obtained in 2019 and MBA (Marketing) obtained in 2021 from IBAIS University were not included in the application. Furthermore, there was no mention of these qualifications in the application. An application for the renewal of appointment, including Certificate 2 from IBAIS University, was attached on December 6, 2023.
On December 25, the regulatory agency IDRA wrote to the Chairman of Jamuna Life, requesting confirmation from the University Grants Commission (UGC) regarding the validity of the two IBAIS University certificates submitted by Kamrul Hasan.
In response, the Chairman of Jamuna Life stated in a letter to IDRA dated January 2 that Kamrul Hasan Khandkar's BSS (Economics) and MA (Marketing) degree certificates from IBAIS University had been verified. However, Jamuna Life was unable to provide UGC certification regarding the authenticity of Kamrul Hasan's two certificates.
Regarding Kamrul Hasan's executive MBA certificate, Syed Abu Bakar Siddique, the administrative officer of the Research Support and Publication Division of the Bangladesh University Grants Commission (UGC), stated that it is difficult to comment without ensuring equality in the case of foreign degrees. It is essential to first verify whether the individual has indeed studied at the institution. Additionally, determining the acceptability and quality of the foreign degree requires careful consideration and equality provision.
Regarding Kamrul Hasan Khandkar's foreign degree, Engineer Mohammad Ziaur Rahman, Deputy Director of UGC's Research Support and Publication Division, mentioned that at present, it appears to be a one-year master's degree.
Badrul Alam Khan, the chairman of Jamuna Life Insurance, was approached for his statement on this matter. He stated that although he had submitted an application to the regulatory body, the chief executive officer of the company, Kamrul Hasan Khandkar, would be better suited to address the issues. However, as Kamrul Hasan is currently unwell and on leave, Khan expressed his inability to provide further details on the matter.
How Kamrul Hasan got approval previously
Kamrul Hasan joined Jamuna Life as Chief Marketing Officer on 2 March 2020. A month later, on 8 October 2020, he was appointed as Chief Executive Officer by Jamuna Life. An application was made to the Insurance Development and Regulatory Authority on 2 December 2020 for approval of this appointment.
At that time, questions emerged regarding Kamrul Hasan's lack of educational qualifications and relevant work experience to justify his appointment as the chief executive. These concerns were based on the information provided in the certificates of educational qualifications and work experience submitted for the approval of Kamrul Hasan's appointment.
However, Kamrul Hasan's appointment was approved for a period of three years, starting from December 1, 2020, until November 30, 2023. This approval was granted on March 21, 2022.
Messenger/Disha
