Students Take to Streets Across Districts, Demand Education Minister’s Resignation Within 24 Hours
Students protest in front of the Rajshahi Education Board, demanding the resignation of the education minister. Photo: Agamir Somoy
Students have staged protests against the holding of the Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) examinations despite severe weather conditions. They have also alleged errors in the Physics question paper and said the questions were excessively difficult.
Over these issues, protesting students have demanded the resignation of Education Minister Dr. A N M Ehsanul Hoque Milon.
Today, Tuesday, they organized road blockades, rallies and processions in the capital and several districts across the country.
Traffic movement was disrupted on several major roads in Dhaka, Chattogram, Rajshahi, Barishal, Bogura, Cumilla and Mymensingh because of the protests.
According to the students, many examinees could not reach examination centers due to floods and waterlogging. Despite that, the examinations were not postponed. They also alleged that the Physics question paper contained errors and was excessively difficult.
They demanded that examinations be held simultaneously across the country, that students who were absent because of the disaster be given another opportunity to sit for the exams, and that damaged admit cards and registration cards be reissued quickly. In several places, they also called for the resignation of the education minister.
A scuffle took place between students and police in the VC Chattar area of Dhaka University. Photo: Shamim-Uz-Saleheen
In the capital this morning, students from various colleges blocked the Science Lab intersection, Mirpur Road and the Dhaka-Mymensingh Highway in front of the Uttara BNS Center. Later, when they headed toward the VC Chattar area of Dhaka University, police stopped them. The students then took position on the road leading from Nilkhet to TSC.
Students from Dhaka City College, Dhaka College, Dhaka Ideal College, Government Bangla College, Siddheswari Girls’ College and BAF Shaheen College, among other institutions, participated in the program.
In Chattogram, examinees staged demonstrations by blocking the road in front of the education board. They did not demand the resignation of the education minister. Their demands were that examinations should not be suspended in some boards while continuing in others and that those who could not sit for the exams because of the disaster should be allowed to retake them.
In Rajshahi, students demonstrated in front of the education board. They alleged that the examinations were held despite the disaster and that there were various flaws in the question paper. A delegation of protesters submitted a memorandum to Education Board Chairman Prof. Dr. Shamim Ara Chowdhury.
The chairman said the students’ demands would be communicated to the Ministry of Education. However, he said the ministry would make the final decision on the matter.
Students block the Satmatha intersection in Bogura city.
In Bogura, students repeatedly blocked the Satmatha intersection. Later, after submitting a memorandum to the deputy commissioner’s office, they returned to Satmatha and resumed the blockade. There, they demanded the suspension of examinations until the disaster situation returns to normal, another opportunity for absent examinees to sit for the exams, the resignation of the education minister within 24 hours, and accountability from those responsible for attacks on protesting students in different districts.
In Barishal, students blocked the Dhaka-Barishal Highway in front of the education board, causing long traffic jams on both sides of the road. Similarly, in Cumilla, students marched from Kandirpar to the education board and staged protests.
In Mymensingh, traffic was disrupted after students blocked the Mymensingh-Tangail Highway in the Town Hall area. Mymensingh Additional Superintendent of Police (Sadar Circle) Asaduzzaman Shakil said, “The students are demonstrating peacefully. Police have been deployed to keep the situation under control.”
Students from various colleges gather at the Town Hall intersection in Mymensingh city.
At around 1 pm today, students blocked the highway at the Phulbari Bus Stand area in Dinajpur town. They also demanded the suspension of HSC examinations due to the disaster situation and the resignation of the education minister.
The blockade created long traffic congestion in the area, causing suffering for passengers. As of filing this report, the students were still blocking the highway.
In Faridpur, students from different educational institutions organized a human chain and protest march to press for the implementation of a five-point demand. The program was held in front of the Faridpur Press Club at around noon today, with participation from students of various institutions.
During the program, the students raised five demands concerning the difficulty of the question paper, examination management, evaluation of results, and the suspension of HSC examinations amid the ongoing flood situation. They also demanded the resignation of the education minister.
The protesting students said their movement was based on three demands. The demands are: suspension of HSC examinations until the disaster situation completely returns to normal; another opportunity for students who could not sit for Monday’s examination because of adverse weather conditions; and the resignation of the education minister within the next 24 hours.
After calls for protests spread on social media, students began demonstrations in different places on Monday. By Tuesday, the movement had expanded further and spread to districts across the country.
[Compiled from reports sent by Agamir Somoy correspondents from across the country.]
