Students Demand Education Minister’s Resignation

Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) candidates staged a demonstration outside the Barishal Education Board on Wednesday, demanding the resignation of the Education Minister over concerns surrounding this year’s public examinations. The protest formed part of a previously announced nationwide programme, with students from several colleges gathering in front of the board office at around 2:15 pm.

The demonstrators argued that this year’s examination papers were significantly more difficult than those of recent years. They claimed that some questions fell outside the prescribed syllabus, making it difficult for many candidates to perform according to their preparation. Students said the unexpected level of difficulty had created widespread anxiety and raised concerns about fairness in the examination process.

Another major issue highlighted during the protest was the impact of adverse weather on the ongoing HSC examinations. According to the students, heavy rainfall and unfavourable conditions have disrupted travel in many parts of the country, leaving candidates struggling to reach examination centres on time. They maintained that holding examinations under such circumstances had placed thousands of students under unnecessary pressure.

The protesters also criticised the authorities’ handling of examination schedules across different education boards. They pointed out that while examinations were postponed in one board due to exceptional circumstances, the same decision was not applied uniformly across all boards despite the use of identical question papers. They argued that this inconsistency created unequal conditions for candidates sitting the same examinations.

Similar demonstrations were held in the capital, where students blocked a major road in Uttara in support of the same demands. The protest began at around 1:30 pm in front of the BNS Centre, temporarily bringing traffic to a standstill and causing significant disruption to commuters in the area. Protesters remained on the road while calling for immediate action from the authorities.

The students also alleged that candidates had suffered considerable hardship because examinations continued despite poor weather conditions affecting many districts. They further claimed that the Physics First Paper examination held on 13 July contained errors in the question paper, raising concerns over the quality control and review process before the examination was conducted.

The latest demonstrations follow similar protests held across Dhaka and several other parts of the country on Tuesday, when HSC candidates organised road blockades and public demonstrations demanding the postponement of examinations. Those protests reflected growing frustration among students over examination management, weather-related challenges and what they described as inconsistencies in decision-making.

Public examinations such as the HSC play a crucial role in determining students’ access to higher education, making fairness and consistency central concerns for candidates and their families. Against that backdrop, the protesters urged the authorities to address their grievances promptly and ensure that all examinees are treated equally under a transparent examination system.

At the time of reporting, no official response had been issued by the Education Ministry regarding the students’ demand for the minister’s resignation or the allegations concerning the examination papers and scheduling.