HSC examinees protest: Students briefly gather outside parliament again after police baton charge
Protests were held in Dhaka, Cumilla, Bogura, Barishal, Chattogram, Faridpur and Brahmanbaria over the government's decision to continue HSC and equivalent examinations despite adverse weather conditions.
Highlights:
- HSC examinees protest in Dhaka and six other districts over exam decisions
- Students demand minister's resignation, exam suspension, fresh tests
- Dhaka blockades disrupt traffic at Science Lab, ECB, Uttara
- Cumilla students protest exams amid flooding and rainfall
- Chattogram students submit demands, threaten tougher programmes
- Bogura, Barishal, Faridpur students join nationwide demonstrations
HSC and equivalent examinees staged demonstrations in Dhaka and five other districts today (14 July) to press home their three demands, including the resignation of Education Minister ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milon within 24 hours.
Protests were held in Dhaka, Bogura, Barishal, Chattogram, and Faridpur over the government's decision to continue HSC and equivalent examinations despite adverse weather conditions.
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The two other demands are the suspension of HSC examinations until adverse weather conditions fully improve and re-examinations for candidates who missed the 13 July exams because of the weather.
Dhaka: HSC examinees block road in front of parliament again
HSC examinees blocked the road in front of the Jatiya Sangsad complex again at around 8:30pm.
The blockade halted traffic on both sides of Manik Mia Avenue.
Md Fazlul Karim, additional deputy commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police's Tejgaon Division, told The Business Standard that the HSC examinees cleared the road around 9:30pm.
He said the protesters had issued an ultimatum demanding the postponement of tomorrow's examination. They also warned that if their demand is not met, they will stage a "Long March to the Ministry" after the exam tomorrow.
Traffic on Manik Mia Avenue soon returned to normal, he added.
At around 6:45pm, police dispersed the protesters from the area using batons.
Fazlul Karim earlier said the students had been asked to send a delegation to discuss their demands.
"They refused to send a delegation inside. They did not want to enter for talks. We later dispersed them," he said.
Earlier, students protesting the decision to hold HSC examinations amid adverse weather gathered outside the Jatiya Sangsad complex at around 5:30pm, while another group of protesters in Uttara announced a "March to the education ministry" programme for tomorrow, demanding the resignation of the education minister.
The students said they were protesting the government's decision to continue HSC examinations despite adverse weather conditions and reiterated their demand for the education minister's resignation.
Students from Dhaka College and several other educational institutions blocked the Science Lab intersection again at around 4:00pm today, hours after lifting a nearly one-hour blockade at the same location in the morning.
The renewed demonstration brought traffic to a standstill on one of the capital's busiest intersections, triggering severe congestion that spread to surrounding areas, including New Market and Bata Signal.
Confirming the development, Towaha Yasin Hossain, assistant commissioner of the New Market Zone of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Traffic Division, told The Business Standard that the students had earlier blocked the intersection for about an hour in the morning, causing heavy traffic congestion.
"Traffic resumed after they cleared the road. However, they blocked the Science Lab intersection again at around 4:00pm. Senior officials are trying to persuade them to leave the road. With office hours ending soon, we are diverting traffic to ease congestion," he said.
Meanwhile, another group of HSC examinees blocked the ECB Chattar intersection in Mirpur at around 4:00pm, halting traffic on the roads connecting ECB Chattar with Kalshi and Hotel Radisson Blu.
Abu Sayem Nayan, assistant commissioner of the Gulshan Zone of the DMP Traffic Division, said the blockade had caused severe traffic congestion from ECB Chattar to Kalshi and from Kuril to ECB Chattar.
"Our Crime Division officials are trying to negotiate with the protesting students," he told TBS.
Earlier in the day, from around 11:30am, another group of examinees blocked the road in front of BNS Tower in Uttara, disrupting traffic in both directions on the Dhaka-Mymensingh Highway.
The blockade triggered severe congestion stretching from Uttara to Kuril and brought traffic on the Elevated Expressway and Airport Road to a near standstill.
"It's a total collapse of traffic due to the students' protest. I was stuck on the expressway for two hours. I was stranded from Kuril and there was no way to turn back. Airport passengers were forced to walk with their luggage," a senior private sector employee told The Business Standard.
Mohammad Shahjahan Hossain, deputy commissioner of the DMP's Uttara Traffic Division, said vehicular movement on the road had remained suspended since 11:30am.
Earlier, students from Dhaka College, Dhaka City College, Government Shaheed Suhrawardy College, Birshreshtha Munshi Abdur Rouf Public College, Noor Mohammad Public College, Dhaka Imperial College, Cambrian College, Dhaka Commerce College, Dhaka Ideal College, BAF Shaheen College and several other institutions blocked the Science Lab intersection at around 11:30am, bringing traffic on Mirpur Road to a halt.
During the protest, they chanted slogans including, "One demand, one point, Milon's resignation," "Our rightful demands must be met" and "Action, action, direct action."
At the time, Towaha Yasin Hossain, assistant commissioner of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police's Traffic Division (New Market Zone), told The Business Standard that traffic from Shahbagh towards Science Lab remained suspended due to the blockade, adding that police were trying to negotiate with the protesters.
At around the same time, another group of students blocked the road in front of the BNS Centre in Uttara, bringing traffic on the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway to a standstill, according to Md Rubel Haque, additional deputy commissioner of the DMP Traffic Division for Uttara.
After about an hour at Science Lab, the protesters marched towards Dhaka University.
At around 1pm, police stopped them from entering the Shahbagh area near VC Chattar.
They then occupied the road between Nilkhet and Sir AF Rahman Hall for nearly an hour before returning towards Nilkhet at around 1:45pm.
At the same time, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman was attending the inauguration of the National Startup and Entrepreneurship Platform at the Nawab Nawab Ali Chowdhury Senate Building on the DU campus.
Police and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) personnel were seen maintaining heightened security at the entrances to Mohsin Hall Gate and Mall Chattar.
Ayman Mahmud, a protesting student, said the education minister had treated students as "opponents" since taking office.
He also alleged that question papers from the 2025 examinations had been used at several centres.
"HSC examinations should remain suspended until adverse weather conditions improve," he added.
Alif, an HSC candidate from the commerce group of Dhaka Commerce College, told The Business Standard, "We have gathered here to draw the prime minister's attention. We demand the education minister's resignation for holding HSC examinations yesterday despite severe waterlogging."
He added, "There were incorrect questions in the physics examination, while the accounting paper was excessively difficult. We want examinations to be conducted with standard question papers."
Cumilla: HSC candidates protest outside education board
HSC examinees in Cumilla staged a demonstration today (14 July), protesting the decision to hold examinations amid flooding, persistent rainfall and adverse weather, as well as recent remarks by the education minister.
Students from several educational institutions gathered in front of the Cumilla Education Board at Pubali Chattar in Kandirpar around 11:00am before marching towards the board's office.
They later held a sit-in outside the main gate after Cumilla Sadar Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Fatematuz Johra and Kotwali Model Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Touhidul Anwar spoke with the protesters.
The students reiterated their three demands: suspension of HSC examinations until the weather improves, a re-examination for candidates who were unable to sit the 13 July exam due to adverse weather, and a public apology from the education minister within 24 hours.
Addressing the gathering, students said many candidates had to travel through floodwaters and severe waterlogging to reach examination centres, while others struggled due to submerged roads and a shortage of transport.
One participant, who had already completed HSC, said students had to wade through waist-deep water to sit the examinations on Monday, adding that he joined the protest in solidarity with their demands.
An HSC candidate from Cumilla Victoria Government College said the adverse weather had affected many students' performance in the examinations, noting that HSC results are crucial for university and medical college admissions.
Some protesters also alleged that the education minister had made derogatory remarks about students and demanded a public apology, while others chanted slogans calling for his resignation.
The protest follows widespread waterlogging across Cumilla yesterday (13 July), when many HSC candidates had to wade through waist-deep water to reach examination centres, including Cumilla Government Women's College.
The incident sparked criticism from students and guardians, who blamed the authorities for failing to manage the situation adequately.
Chattogram: Protesters tear down education board's main gate
Protesting HSC examinees in Chattogram broke the main gate of the Chattogram Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board today (14 July) after a meeting with board officials over their seven-point charter of demands.
The students marched to the board office after ending their road blockade at the No. 2 Gate intersection.
They forced open the locked entrance, entered the premises and held an hour-long meeting with Board Secretary Professor Mohammad Jahirul Haque Swapan.
After the meeting, a section of the protesters damaged part of the board's main gate.
Swapan told The Business Standard that the board had agreed to address several demands within its jurisdiction, while others fell outside its authority.
He added that police and Ansar personnel were present, and the board exercised restraint to avoid any confrontation.
Earlier in the day, a 13-member delegation of students met Chattogram Education Board Secretary Professor Mohammad Jahirul Haque Swapan to discuss their demands.
The students said many candidates under the Chattogram Education Board had been unable to reach examination centres on 13 July because of severe weather, while alleged errors in question papers had further increased anxiety among examinees.
They warned that failure to address these issues promptly would seriously affect students' academic futures.
The protest began at around 11am when students from several colleges gathered in the city's Sholoshahar area and staged a sit-in in front of the education board office before moving to block the road.
Although the movement initially began with a three-point demand, the students later expanded it into a seven-point charter in the memorandum submitted to the board.
The protesters said they would announce their next course of action if their demands were not met by the 4pm deadline.
The memorandum also states that future programmes could include demonstrations demanding the resignation of the education minister.
Bogura: Students warn of tougher programmes
In Bogura, HSC candidates marched from Satmatha to the deputy commissioner's office, where they held a rally demanding the resignation of the education minister and the removal of the education secretary, reports Prothom Alo.
The protesters warned of launching tougher programmes if their demands were not met within 24 hours.
Barishal: Highway blockade outside education board
Students from different colleges blocked the Dhaka-Barishal highway in front of the Barishal Education Board, causing long tailbacks on both sides of the road.
They said many examinees had been unable to reach examination centres because of flooding and renewed their demand for fresh examinations for those who missed the tests, according to a Prothom Alo report.
Faridpur: Students announce five-point charter
In Faridpur, students from different educational institutions formed a human chain and held a protest rally in front of the Faridpur Press Club.
Besides demanding the education minister's resignation and the suspension of HSC examinations amid flooding, they announced a five-point charter that included reviewing the difficulty of question papers, ensuring student-friendly answer script evaluation, explaining decisions on examination schedules during floods and preventing candidates from being unfairly disadvantaged in difficult subjects.
The protesters also announced another demonstration at the same venue on Wednesday if their demands remain unmet.
Brahmanbaria: HSC candidates demand education minister's resignation
HSC examinees in Brahmanbaria staged a protest rally today, demanding the resignation of the education minister in solidarity with demonstrations taking place across the country.
The protest was held in front of the Brahmanbaria Press Club from around 5:45pm to 6:30pm, with students from several colleges participating.
The protesters chanted slogans calling for the minister's resignation, while speakers, including students from Brahmanbaria Government College and Brahmanbaria Poura College, said local examinees stood in support of the nationwide movement.
They warned of tougher programmes if their sole demand – the education minister's resignation – was not met.
