Rajshahi, Oct 11 (V7N) – The Bangladesh Institute of Forensic Psychology and Sciences (BIFPS) has confirmed that the recently leaked audio conversation linked to allegations of bribery in the recruitment process of a Rajshahi University (RU) theatre department lecturer is genuine.

Earlier, Professor Dr. Mir Mehbub Alam, head of the Department of Theatre at Rajshahi University, claimed that the audio was artificially generated using his voice through artificial intelligence (AI) technology. However, following a formal request by Md. Hossain Maruf, president of the Rajshahi University Theatre Alumni Association (RUTAA), a forensic analysis conducted by BIFPS verified that the recording was entirely authentic, with no signs of alteration or manipulation.

According to the BIFPS report, metadata analysis of the recording showed no evidence of re-encoding or editing. The forensic examination of formant, pitch, jitter, and shimmer patterns matched natural human voice characteristics. Spectrogram analysis also detected no traces of AI-generated artifacts, and the reference voice comparison confirmed a high level of similarity with Professor Alam’s natural speech.

The other voice in the recording belongs to Rahat Islam (Hridoy), a student of the 2015–16 academic session from the same department who participated in the recent faculty recruitment test. Rahat had achieved outstanding academic results, obtaining a CGPA of 3.63 in his bachelor’s and 3.86 in his master’s, ranking first in both.

Rahat sat for the written examination on September 15 but was not called for the viva voce. He later alleged that a demand for bribes was made before the recruitment process and that he was excluded from the oral examination after refusing to pay. On September 21, he submitted a written complaint to the university’s vice-chancellor, attaching the audio recording as evidence. The matter was also forwarded to the Education Adviser, the University Grants Commission (UGC), and the Chief Adviser’s Office of the interim government.

Rahat further claimed that one of the expert board members was replaced prior to the interview and that the examination questions were leaked to benefit certain candidates.

Rajshahi University Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. Saleh Hasan Nakib stated, “The incident is being taken seriously. The university administration will take appropriate action once the investigation confirms the authenticity and accountability of the parties involved.”

The revelation has sparked renewed concern among academic circles about transparency and ethical standards in university recruitment processes across Bangladesh.

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