HSC Examinees Stage Nationwide Protests Demanding Education Minister Resignation Amid Weather Crisis
Photo Collected
Students across Bangladesh took to the streets on Tuesday to demand the resignation of Education Minister Anam Ehsanul Haque Milan, protesting the government’s decision to proceed with Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) examinations despite severe flooding and widespread waterlogging. Protests and road blockades were reported in at least 11 districts, including Barishal, Mymensingh, Bogura, Tangail, Rajshahi, Sylhet, Cumilla, Kurigram, Sunamganj, Naogaon, and Rangpur.
Demonstrators expressed outrage over the administration’s refusal to postpone exams during adverse weather conditions, which prevented many students from reaching testing centers. Students also condemned what they characterized as “derogatory” remarks made by the Education Minister regarding their grievances. The protesters have issued a 24-hour ultimatum for the minister’s resignation, while also calling for the rescheduling of exams for those who were unable to attend, the removal of the Education Secretary, and a overhaul of the current examination system.
বিজ্ঞাপন
In Barishal, students blockaded the Dhaka-Barishal highway for several hours, causing significant traffic disruption. Protesters alleged that the examinations were conducted under hazardous conditions without adequate preparation time, and claimed that this year’s question papers were unusually difficult and occasionally outside the prescribed syllabus. Similar scenes unfolded in Mymensingh, where students blocked the Mymensingh-Tangail highway, criticizing the minister for reportedly dismissing student hardships while remaining in air-conditioned comfort.
The unrest extended to several provincial education boards. In Rajshahi, students laid siege to the secondary and higher secondary education board, submitting a memorandum of their demands. In Bogura, protesters blockaded a central traffic intersection after failing to secure a concrete assurance from local administrators, while in Cumilla and Tangail, students disrupted key transit routes, demanding that examinations be suspended until the meteorological situation stabilizes.
বিজ্ঞাপন
Student representatives in various districts argued that the decision to hold exams amid knee-deep floodwaters and heavy rainfall demonstrated a complete disregard for student safety. In Kurigram and Rangpur, demonstrators specifically highlighted errors in physics question papers and the inconsistent quality of questions across different boards as evidence of administrative failure.
Local authorities, including police and education board officials, sought to de-escalate the situation in various regions. While some board chairmen indicated that local grievances would be addressed or forwarded to higher authorities, the students maintained that their core demands—the minister’s resignation and an immediate halt to the examination schedule—remained non-negotiable. As of Tuesday evening, student groups in several districts announced plans for continued protests, including further demonstrations should their demands remain unmet.
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