HSC Students Besiege Dhaka Education Board Over Three-Point Demands

Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) examinees on Tuesday surrounded the Dhaka Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education as part of their ongoing protest demanding the resignation of the education minister and the fulfilment of a three-point demand charter.

The students moved to the education board premises after ending a road blockade programme at the Science Lab intersection in the capital. From around 2:30pm on 14 July, a large number of students began gathering in front of the board office, where they staged demonstrations and chanted slogans calling for the education minister’s resignation.

During the protest, officials from the education board requested that a representative from the students’ side enter the office for discussions. However, the demonstrators declined the proposal, insisting that their demand must be addressed at the appropriate level.

Maruf Hasan, a student of Dhaka Ideal College, said the students felt disrespected by comments allegedly made about them by the education minister. “The students who are being called by such names were among those who made sacrifices during the 2024 movement. They believe their contributions played a role in bringing the minister to the position he holds today,” he said. According to him, the students’ primary demand is the resignation of the education minister and the appointment of someone who is more supportive of students and the education sector.

Earlier in the day, students had taken position at the Science Lab intersection from around 11:30am and blocked the road connecting Dhanmondi and New Market. The blockade brought traffic movement in both directions to a standstill, creating severe congestion in the area. Buses, private cars, and CNG-powered auto-rickshaws remained stranded, causing significant inconvenience for commuters and residents travelling through the busy city route.

Students from several colleges under the jurisdiction of the Dhaka Education Board joined the demonstration. Participants included students from Dhaka College, City College, Ideal College, Dhaka Commerce College and Tejgaon College, among others.

The protest has added fresh pressure on education authorities amid growing student dissatisfaction over issues related to education management and policy decisions. The Dhaka Education Board, however, has maintained that the students’ demands are not directly connected to the board’s administrative responsibilities.

Assistant Commissioner of Police Mohammad Mahfuzur Rahman of the Chawkbazar Zone under Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s Lalbagh Division, who was deployed near the board premises, said the students’ demands were unrelated to the education board. “We have explained the matter to them and requested that they reconsider their position. However, if they do not listen, there is little more we can do at this stage,” he said.

Authorities remained present at the site to monitor the situation and maintain public order as the students continued their protest.