A comprehensive investigation by Prothom Alo has exposed a widespread ethical crisis across higher education institutions in Bangladesh. Between 2019 and June 2026, at least 325 academic research papers associated with Bangladeshi scholars and institutions were formally retracted by major international publishers.

Using data from the Retraction Watch database alongside independent reviews, the investigation indicates that the actual figure may be higher. The affected studies were published primarily in journals overseen by prominent publishing houses, including Elsevier, Springer Nature, Wiley, Hindawi, and IEEE.

Where articles involved multiple Bangladeshi co-authors or affiliations, each study was counted only once in the overall tally. Daffodil International University recorded the highest number with 44 retracted papers, followed closely by North South University with 42, Jahangirnagar University with 32, United International University with 21, and the University of Dhaka with 20. Other affected institutions included the University of Chittagong, Rajshahi University, and Begum Rokeya University with 11 papers each, alongside World University of Bangladesh, Noakhali Science and Technology University, and BGC Trust University Bangladesh with 10 papers each. Additionally, Bangladesh University of Business and Technology recorded seven retractions, while Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Science and Technology University in Gopalganj was linked to six.

Most publishers evaluate potential research misconduct under guidelines set by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). Editors conduct preliminary reviews before requesting original raw data from authors; if explanations remain unconvincing, independent panels are convened to determine whether a formal retraction is required. An analysis of the withdrawal notices revealed several recurring violations, including falsified peer review, data inconsistencies, fabrication, plagiarism, dataset duplication, citation manipulation, and links to commercial paper mills that sell authorship slots to researchers seeking rapid publication.

Mohammad Moniruzzaman Khan, an academic in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at North South University, has 26 retracted papers to his name, acting as lead author on six and co-author on 20. The retractions, executed in 2023 for papers published between 2021 and mid-2022, stemmed from fake peer reviews, data irregularities, and plagiarism. Moniruzzaman Khan and his students authored over 80 papers within an 18-month span, raising internal concerns from university leadership. Furthermore, all 26 retracted papers included co-authors affiliated with Saudi Arabian institutions, where financial inducements to raise global university rankings led to a surge in compromised joint publications. Despite the withdrawals, Moniruzzaman Khan maintains his innocence and blames publishers for ignoring the authors’ clarifications. While North South University issued verbal warnings at the time, it initiated no formal disciplinary action.

Daffodil International University offers monetary awards ranging from Tk20,000 to Tk50,000 alongside annual recognition for published work. Lecturer Mominur Rahman from the Department of Pharmacy recorded seven retractions across topics such as cancer, COVID-19, and nanomedicine after publishers lost confidence in the data.

University officials stated that financial incentives paid for retracted papers are subject to recovery. In another case, Muntasir Morshed, currently a Research Fellow at the Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS), was linked to eight retracted papers. He cited Daffodil International University as an affiliation out of affection as an alumnus. BIDS leadership described the issue as a severe infraction and confirmed institutional proceedings would follow.

At Jahangirnagar University, ten papers co-authored by Professor Md Mostafizur Rahman of the Department of Environmental Sciences were withdrawn due to fabricated data and duplicate dataset usage in studies concerning environmental microplastics and pollution. Rahman expressed regret, noting that primary journal communications were handled by an international co-author, though he acknowledged the need for greater vigilance in future work.

Retracted research has also been tied to career advancement in Bangladeshi universities. Professor Swapan Chandra Majumdar of Comilla University utilised a paper retracted in July 2024 due to compromised peer review as part of his successful application for promotion to full professor in 2022, while a second paper led by him was pulled in July 2025 for plagiarism. Majumdar attributes the actions to publisher error. Similarly, Professor Md Kamruzzaman of United International University had 11 papers pulled between 2025 and early 2026 over peer-review manipulation. Kamruzzaman claimed the retractions were due to minor referencing issues rather than systemic fraud, while university management confirmed plans to review the case.

Reputable scholars warn that widespread retractions severely undermine international confidence in Bangladeshi academia, creating higher hurdles for legitimate studies submitted abroad. Professor Kazi Motin Uddin Ahmed of Dhaka University likened each retraction to a red card in sport, signaling an urgent ethical emergency. Following nine retractions involving a faculty member at Begum Rokeya University, an investigation led to only a minor formal warning due to legal and regulatory gaps in university policies.

Addressing these shortcomings, Professor Mamun Ahmed, Chairman of the University Grants Commission (UGC), stated that individual universities bear the primary duty to investigate and penalise academic fraud, but warned that should an institution fail to act, the UGC will step in directly to institute disciplinary measures.