HSC Examinees Stage Nationwide Protests Demanding Exam Postponement and Minister Resignation
Students across Bangladesh staged widespread protests, road blockades, and demonstrations on Tuesday to voice grievances over the administration of Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) examinations during severe weather, as well as errors in physics question papers. The unrest, which spanned at least 13 districts including Dhaka, Chittagong, Rajshahi, and Barisal, saw thousands of students disrupt traffic and surround education boards to demand immediate concessions from the government.
In the capital, protesters blocked key intersections including Science Laboratory, ECB Chattar, and Uttara for much of the day. As tensions escalated toward the evening, students marched toward the national parliament building, where police used batons to disperse the crowds. Despite the police intervention, the protesters regrouped, eventually issuing an ultimatum: if the government does not suspend today’s scheduled examinations, they will conduct a "Long March to the Ministry of Education" starting at 3 p.m. from the Science Laboratory area.
The movement was fueled by both logistical frustrations and perceived disparagement from the Minister of Education, A.N.M. Ehsanul Haque Milon. Students accused the minister of comparing them to "farm chickens" in previous statements, leading to demands for his resignation. Protesters argued that the government failed to account for the impact of adverse weather conditions, noting that many students were unable to reach examination centers due to flooding and waterlogging. They have demanded the suspension of all exams until weather conditions improve, the re-examination of papers for those who missed tests, and the replacement of registration cards and admit cards lost in floodwaters.
Throughout the day, students in various regions staged high-profile protests. In Chittagong and Rajshahi, demonstrators surrounded local education boards to submit memorandums, while students in Tangail and Barisal blocked critical highways, bringing regional transport to a standstill. In Dhaka, students protested at the Dhaka Education Board in Bakshibazar, chanting slogans against the education ministry’s handling of the crisis.
Addressing the national parliament during the height of the protests, Minister Milon attempted to quell the unrest by pledging that students would receive full marks for the erroneous questions found in the physics paper. He further stated that re-examinations would be arranged for those unable to attend tests at centers affected by flooding. Responding to the mounting criticism regarding his earlier comments, the minister offered an apology in parliament, stating he had no intention to cause offense and expressed regret if his remarks had caused distress.
However, student leaders remained defiant, dismissing the minister's concessions as insufficient. Representatives of the protesters argued that the minister had made similar promises in the past without implementation, leading them to declare that he is no longer fit for the position. As the protests concluded late Tuesday night, the students maintained their call for a widespread boycott of board examinations, signaling a deepening standoff between the academic community and the government.
