Plagiarism an epidemic today: Dr Akbar Ali Khan

Plagiarism has turned epidemic today with even renowned institutions, including the University of Dhaka, recently discovering PhD students being involved, said Dr Akbar Ali Khan on Thursday, 11 October 2018.

People should stay aware and the government fix a policy to address the issue, he told a “Conclave on Academic & Research Integrity 2018” at BRAC University’s (BRACU) Mohakhali campus in the capital.

Organised by the Ayesha Abed Library of BRACU and Turnitindia Private Ltd, the event aimed to disseminate knowledge and awareness about plagiarism in research.

Professor ATM Nurul Amin, chairperson of the economics and social sciences department, said plagiarism resulted from a poverty of ideas, inability to write or being unfamiliar with scholarly writing and coming out of it required building a culture.

He demanded that the industry pay for research and development so that originality of ideas could be retained.

Manzoor Hasan OBE, executive director of BRACU’s Centre for Peace and Justice, questioned whether the prevailing social fragility resulted from a lack of integrity and whether governance and development should overlap.

He pointed out that the national integrity strategy should start at the micro level and set a standard, as exemplified by recent student protests on complying with the rule of law and explained in the UN convention against corruption.

Professor K Shamsuddin Mahmood, dean of the School of Law, informed that the issue of plagiarism was not mentioned in any statute of the country while the UK was thinking of criminalising contractual cheating.

He also urged industry owners to encourage inventions by facilitating patents for employees.

TurnitIndia Education Pvt Ltd Regional Director of the South Asia Ashim Sachdeva said policing faults should not be the sole priority and parents should be involved in their children’s activities to inculcate values.

Professor Md Golam Samdani Fakir, vice-chancellor of the Green University of Bangladesh, suggested for a holistic academic integrity policy, saying he promoted a 20-point norm and values at every class of his own institution.

Student should be provided a sense of ownership for integrity to come into practice, he said.

On how to juggle teaching and research, Professor Abdur Rob Khan, dean of North South University’s School of Humanities & Social Sciences, suggested faculty members take students as the first priority by engaging them.

BRACU Department of English and Humanities Chairperson Professor Firdous Azim, PhD said knowledge is something that should not be secreted from public as acquiring it required keeping information open.

Primeasia University Vice-Chancellor Professor Abdul Hannan Chowdhury, PhD said young researchers of Bangladesh were not interested in taking up challenges while many teachers adopted plagiarism as publication and research work was mandatory for promotion.

BRAC Institute of Governance & Development Executive Director Imran Matin, PhD said research opened new horizons and while doing so social responsibility, credibility and transparency must be kept in mind.

East West University Department of Economics Professor AK Enamul Haque, PhD said intellectual practice was not that common in Bangladesh and stopping plagiarism required enhancing the sphere of knowledge.

United International University Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering Chairperson Khawza I Ahmed, PhD pointed out that the technology used in contractual cheating could also be used in ensuring education and academic integrity.

BRACU Department of Economics and Social Sciences Assistant Professor Rubana Ahmed, PhD and BRAC Business School Associate Professor Md Mamun Habib, PhD moderated the event.

In her speech wrapping up the programme, Hasina Afroz, University Librarian of Ayesha Abed Library, said they were glad to organise such a conclave.

Primeasia University Vice-Chancellor Professor Abdul Hannan Chowdhury, PhD also spoke at the conclave where BRACU Vice Chancellor (acting) SN Kairy was the special guest while Registrar Lt Col Md Foyzul Islam (Retd) and other faculty members, library professionals and students were present.