HSC protesters take to streets nationwide

HSC examinees staged coordinated demonstrations in several parts of the country on Tuesday, demanding the suspension of HSC and equivalent examinations until the ongoing flood and adverse weather situation improves.

The protesters also demanded a re-examination for candidates who were unable to sit the July 13 examination because of adverse weather and the resignation of Education and Primary and Mass Education Adviser Dr ANM Ehsanul Haque Milon within 24 hours.

The demonstrations were held in Dhaka, Cumilla, Rajshahi and Chattogram, where students alleged that continuing examinations amid heavy rainfall, flooding and waterlogging had caused severe hardship and denied many candidates an equal opportunity to sit the tests.

In the capital, around 180 to 200 students, identifying themselves as members of the "2026 HSC Batch", staged a road blockade at the Science Lab intersection from around 11:45am before marching towards the Dhaka Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board.

The procession moved through Nilkhet and entered the University of Dhaka campus via the main gate. At around 12:55pm, police stopped the demonstrators near the VC Chattar, prompting a brief standoff.

After remaining there for some time, the students changed their route and proceeded through the university gate towards Palashi Mor in another attempt to reach the education board.

A large contingent of police was deployed in the area to prevent the protesters from advancing. Members of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal were also seen near the scene, while additional party activists gathered in different parts of the Dhaka University campus.

As tensions mounted between police and protesters, the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) was deployed in the university area to maintain law and order.

During the demonstration, the students chanted slogans demanding the adviser's resignation. However, differences emerged among the protesters over the next course of action, with some proposing a march to the Secretariat, others favouring the education board and another group calling for a programme at Shahbagh.

Students from several colleges, including Dhaka College, Dhaka Commerce College, City College, Ideal College and Tejgaon College, joined the demonstration.

In Cumilla, more than a hundred HSC candidates marched from Kandirpar's Pubali Chattar towards the Cumilla Education Board around 11:00am.

Although police initially attempted to stop the procession, the students continued to the board's main gate, where they staged a sit-in and chanted slogans demanding the resignation of the education adviser.

The protesters included students from Cumilla Victoria Government College, Cumilla Government College, Ruposhi Bangla College, Cumilla Collectorate School and College, Sonar Bangla College and several other educational institutions.

They reiterated the same three demands�"suspension of examinations until the disaster situation improves, a retest for candidates who missed the July 13 examination because of adverse weather, and the adviser's resignation.

Cumilla Education Board Secretary Prof Mohammad Jahangir Alam, Deputy Controller of Examinations Md Salauddin, Cumilla Sadar Upazila Nirbahi Officer Fatema Tuz Zohra and Kotwali Police Station Officer-in-Charge Touhidul Anwar met the students outside the board office.

Jahangir Alam assured the protesters that the board would address issues within its authority and forward the remaining demands to the higher authorities.

UNO Fatema Tuz Zohra said a meeting had been convened at the Cumilla Deputy Commissioner's Office to discuss the students' demands.

In Rajshahi, more than 500 students from different educational institutions entered the Rajshahi Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board premises around 11:30am.

The students demonstrated inside the board compound and chanted slogans demanding the adviser's resignation.

A delegation later submitted a memorandum to Board Chairman Prof Dr Shamim Ara Chowdhury outlining their demands.

Police were deployed outside the board's main gate to prevent any untoward incidents, while the protesters remained inside the premises as of early afternoon.

In Chattogram, students from different educational institutions gathered outside the Chattogram Education Board from 11:00am before laying siege to the board office.

The protesters later occupied the road in front of the board's main gate, disrupting traffic and affecting the board's normal activities.

The students alleged that examinees across the country had been forced to travel through flooded roads and waterlogged areas to reach examination centres, putting their safety at risk.

They demanded that examinations remain suspended until flood and waterlogging conditions return to normal, that candidates who missed the July 13 examination be given another opportunity to sit the test, and that the education adviser resign within 24 hours.

The protesters warned of tougher nationwide programmes if their demands were not met.

In Mymensingh, HSC examinees staged a protest at Town Hall intersection on Tuesday afternoon.

The protesters alleged that heavy rainfall and waterlogging prevented many candidates from reaching examination centres on time, while others were forced to sit the examinations under difficult conditions. They said the decision to continue the examinations should have been reconsidered.