Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid on Saturday urged upon the BNP-led 20-party alliance to keep at least scheduled days of Secondary School Certificate and equivalent examinations hartal-free,  considering the future of over 1.4 million young boys and girls of the country.
Talking to the Daily Observer over phone last nght, Nahid said, " Earlier, I  made a fervent appeal to the 20-party alliance to withdraw their 72-hour uninterrupted hartal across the country beginning from 6 a.m. on Sunday in the greater interest of the nation.  "Now, I have softened my position and urged them to keep at least examination days hartal-free ".
The minister said there are a number of public examinations ahead including scholarship examinations. If the schedules of SSC and equivalent examinations are changed, it would exert negative impact on all of them, he added.
The minister said  it is ironical that the BNP-led alliance imposed the  72-hour hartal during the SSC examinations ignoring all appeal and concerns of the students, guardians and the people in general. Such illogical and senseless move would plunge the nation into utter dismay and frustration.   
The minister hoped that good sense would prevail and the 20-party alliance would keep the examination days free from hartal and blockade programme.