Qaumi Islami University
Yet another scam
Using the names of front-line alems of the country, the dubious Abdul Hai is making money in the name of setting up the Qaumi Islami University
by ANWAR PARVEZ HALIM
Allama Ahmed Shafi, Maulana Mohiuddin Khan, Mufti Abdur Rahman, Mohammed Sultan Zauq Nadvi, Abdul Halim Bokhari, Moulana Abdul Basit, Saikhul Hadith Allama Azizul Huq, Maulana Abdul Jabbar, Maulana Anwar Shah and Maulana Mahmudul Hasan are respected Islamic scholars of the country, renowned alems of the Qaumi education system. However, with total disregard to their positions of respect in society, their names are being used in a new scam -- the Qaumi Islami University (QIU). PROBE's investigations reveal that in reality this university does not even exist. Yet it has a website naming these scholars and using their pictures. The names and photographs of certain former bureaucrats and industrialists have also been used. The website of this fictitious university offers a host of other attractive packages to unsuspecting browsers.
Investigations reveal that this university is not registered with the Ministry of Education or with any other government office. During the caretaker government of Dr. Fakhruddin Ahmed, a proposal had been submitted in this name, but was not given approval. Despite not gaining approval, the university from back then has been collecting funds form various quarters, duping them with all sorts of false information.
The master of this fraudulent scheme is MM Abdul Hai. He is the "Chairman" and "Founder" of various non-existent organisations. He has opened office in Motijheel to carry out his dubious schemes and scams.
Digital deception
The Qaumi University website posts two account numbers for persons to make their deposits. MM Abdul Hai has never studied under the Qaumi system, yet he has opened up this faux Qaumi University. His main aim is to attract the attention of various foundations and institutions and to cheat unsuspecting charitable persons at home and abroad into donating funds through this website -- blatant digital deception!
Several of the qaumi scholars named on his website tell PROBE that this MM Hai is an out-and-out con man. He can easily fool people. These alems say he is a fraud and a swindler. They say he has used their names and photographs on his website without their permission. They have protested but he has not removed their names and pictures from the website.
The website has an impressive array of faculties -- Faculty of Religious Science, Faculty of Human Science and Faculty of Natural Science under which they are to open the departments of Telecommunications, Arabic, English, Bengali, Law, Commerce, Economics, etc.
After the name 'Qaumi Islami University' there is the letter 'P' in brackets. This is a sort of safeguard, subtly implying that it is 'proposed'.
The address of the university is Khan Mansion (6th Floor),107 Motijheel, Dhaka. And the two bank account numbers given on the website are Agrani Bank, Rampura Branch (BTV), A/C No. 33025495; and Al Arafah Bank, Dilkusha Branch, A/C No. 042122000418.
Qaumi Islami University's Vice Chancellor, according to the website, is former Secretary AZM Shamsul Alam, former Director General of the Islamic Foundation. The university's Chief Advisor is Ahmad Shafi DG of Hathazari's Al Jamia Al Ahliya Darul Uloom Madrassa. The Chairman is Mufti Abdur Rahman, DG of the Islamic Research Centre (Dhaka); Senior Vice Chairman Sultan Zauq Nadvi, DG of Chittagong's Jamia Daul Ma'Arif Madrassa; and Vice Chairmen Abdul Halim Bokhari, Rector of Patiya Madrassa and Abdul Basit Barkatpuri, Secretary General of Sylhet's Azad Deene Adaray Ta'Alim. The Senior Advisors are named as Saikhul Hadith Allama Azizul Haq, Maulana Mohiuddin Khan, Maulana Abdul Jabbar, Anwar Shah and Maulana Mahmudul Hasan.
The Directors, as given on the website, are Al Haj MA Hannan; Sayeed Khokan, son of former Mayor Hanif and former IGP Md. Hadisuddin. The Convener is industrialist Anwar Hossain, Chairman of A. Hossain Group and former Chairman of Al Arafah Bank. Allama Fariduddin Masud, former Director of Islamic Foundation, is the Governor. He had been arrested during the caretaker government's term. Other Governors include Md. Shamsu Miah, Md. Ashik Hossain and F Helaly. Founder and Rector of the university is the controversial MM Abdul Hai.
Who is Abdul Hai?
In the profile of Abdul Hai in the website of QIU, it is stated that he is the founder of the Qaumi Education Society and National Shariah Advisory Majlis; the Secretary General, Takaful Bahumukhi Farm (Pvt) Ltd; Chairman, Darul Qur'an Madrassa; founder Islami Insurance; and Editor of the monthly Takaful Barta. Investigations reveal, all these institutions exist in name only. He has no job or occupation at present. He has taken 300 thousand taka from Al Arafa Bank in the name of QIU and has already spent most of this amount.
The Central Shariah Board for Islami Banks of Bangladesh acts in the interests of the Shariah-based Islamic banks of the country. Sidestepping this institution, MM Hai took initiative to form the National Shariah Council and approached Al Arafah Bank for funds in this regard. Shamsul Alam was Chairman of the bank at the time. Samad Sheikh, present MD of the bank, tells PROBE, "The bank's board finally decided not to pay Abdul Hai the funds." He says, "While inaugurating Al Arafah's branch in Ambarkhana, Sylhet, I heard that he had taken money from many people, promising them jobs there. He is a cunning man. His activities have been tarnishing the good name of the alems. He is a despicable man."
AZM Shamsul Alam, VC of QIU, says,"Abdul Hai has a way of convincing people. He came to me quite a few months ago, saying he wanted me as the Vice Chancellor. I hear he uses my name in that post. As far as I know, MM Abdul Hai is not an authority in qaumi education, not is he a renowned alem. He didn't even study under the qaumi system. He doesn't even have any high degree. He has neither the qualification nor the funds to set up a university. He says many industrialists will be assisting him in this regard. Actually, he is a very dishonest man. QIU doesn't even exists, yet he shows me vouchers of 20 lac taka expenditure, saying 16 lac taka of his and 4 lac taka of mine has been spent. I was shocked. I told him I would not be a part of all this."
"I hear he still uses my name on the website," says AZM Shamsul Alam. I have protested, but he doesn't pay heed. It is impossible to set up a university with such a person."
In the meantime, QIU Convener industrialist Anwar Hossain tells this correspondent, "My home is in Sharankhola. When I went there after cyclone Sidr to distribute relief, I met Abdul Hai. When I was Chairman of Al Arafa Bank, he approached me for a large loan, but I refused. He is a shady character. He said he was going to set up a university. I hear he is using my name without my permission. I am not involved in this in any way."
Maulana Mohiuddin Khan says, "Abdul Hai is from Netrakona. He would work in an insurance company at one point of time. He comes up with all sorts of projects from time to time and filches money from people."
When the PROBE correspondent contacts MM Hai over telephone, he says he is extremely busy. He says he cannot give an interview in person as he will be out of town for a week or so. He says that he had submitted a proposal for QIU during the caretaker government's rule. At the time the government had passed amended rules for private universities in the form of an ordinance, though it had not been approved by the President. The present government is going to amend these rules again and then pass these in the form of a law. So, he says, he will once again submit his proposal for QIU to the government."
"I discussed the matter of setting up QIU with renowned alems of the country," says Abdul Hai. I am proceeding in this regard with their approval."
About making Sayeed Khokan Director of QIU, he says, "I am acquainted with him but I haven't discussed this matter with him as yet. I shall have a meeting with him shortly." Yet he uses Sayeed Khokan's name on the website without consulting him.
Abdul Hai says, "All sorts of obstacles are met when setting up any institution. No matter how many years it takes, I will establish QIU."
He says that seven acres of land has been purchased at Gazipur for the university. Asked how he has this website and all details without even having the university, he says, "I expect to get the approval soon. Also, if we want, we can start studies on Dawah/Shariah even now. We are prepared." He says the website has been launched to keep people informed.
What the alems say
Mufti Abdur Rahman, who is Chairman of QIU according to the website, tells PROBE, "About three or four months ago Abdul Hai came and told me about this university and proposed me to be the Chairman. I did not respond. He told me that he had close ties with the US Embassy. He said he was close to many industrialists. He said if such a university could be set up, the students wouldn't have to take any certificate from the board. He had a lot of things to say, but I had no idea that he went ahead and named me as Chairman. It does not look like he has any good intentions. He shouldn't have used my name without my knowledge. I would like to launch my protest against this through PROBE."
Allama Abdul Halim Bokhari, DG of Patiya Madrassa, tells PROBE that he hasn't known Abdul Hai for long. "I know nothing about his educational qualification or anything," he says, "He came to me and asked for my cooperation to setting up QIU. That is all. I had no idea he made me Vice Chairman. He invited me to a meeting in Dhaka in February, but I did not go. He must be a very cunning man."
Why does Bokhari not protest? Says Bokhari, "I know nothing about him or how powerful he is. I don't want to get into any trouble by protesting."
Maulana Mohiuddin Khan, Editor of the Monthly Madina, says, "I know this man, he would work with insurance at one time. But I never discussed about setting up any university with him. He never approached me on this head and I didn't even know he had included me in it. Those who have no profession of their own are the ones who get up to such underhand activities. I really don't have the time to look into what these people are up to. But it is very wrong to use anyone's name without their permission."
Allama Mohammed Sultan Zauq Nadvi, founder and DG of Jamia Darul Ma'Arif, says that the country had hundreds of thousands of Qaumi madrassa students. Their certificates are not given due recognition. Passing out from the Qaumi madrassas, the alems are managing to enter into the mainstream employment market by competing with the others. There face problems when it comes to higher education too. We even launched a movement in this regard during the caretaker government. The government even accepted these demands. Taking all this into consideration, we felt the need to establish a university. We held talks in this regard and Abdul Hai took initiative. He took my permission in making me Vice Chairman. But I have no idea of what happened after that. I do not know from where he is getting funds for QIU."
Another alem, on condition of anonymity, says. "There are all sorts of conspiracies in the country regarding Qaumi madrassas. A section of the media is highlighting these madrassas as terrorist training camps. The government has asked for a list of Qaumi madrassas to be drawn up, though I don't know why. At this juncture, the activities of controversial people like Abdul Hai can create further problems for the Qaumi madrassas. There certainly is need for a Qaumi university in the country, but what qualification does a phony person like Abdul Hai have to set up such an institution?"
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