Police Charge Protesting HSC Students Outside Parliament with Batons

Police used batons to disperse Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) examinees who had staged a sit-in on Manik Mia Avenue, directly in front of the National Parliament. The law enforcement action commenced at around half past six on Tuesday evening, as officers moved in to clear the demonstrators.

Initially, police personnel attempted to persuade the young demonstrators to vacate the high-security zone peacefully. However, the situation escalated rapidly at around quarter to seven when a segment of the frustrated students tried to breach the perimeter and enter the parliament complex. In response, officers charged at the crowd with batons, scattering the students in various directions and causing brief chaos in the surrounding streets.

The dramatic evening confrontation marked the culmination of a day of widespread student unrest across the capital. Earlier on Tuesday morning, students blocked the busy Science Laboratory intersection to press home their demands. They then marched towards the Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor’s residence, where police barricades stopped their progress. Undeterred, the marchers redirected their route through the Palashi intersection to gather outside the Dhaka Education Board. Following a brief demonstration there, the pupils returned to Science Lab before finally marching to the parliament building.

A broad coalition of students from prestigious metropolitan colleges joined the protest. These included Dhaka City College, Kabi Nazrul Government College, Birshreshtha Munshi Abdur Rouf Public College, Udayan College, Milestone College, Dhaka Commerce College, Dhaka Oriental College, Hamdard Public College, and Siddheswari College.

The protesting candidates have put forward three core demands. They are calling for the immediate suspension of the HSC exams until the current adverse weather conditions return to normal. They also want a rescheduled exam for those who missed papers on 13 July due to severe waterlogging, alongside the resignation of the Education Minister within twenty-four hours.

According to the candidates, forcing them to sit exams during severe flooding and torrential rain caused immense logistical misery. Many struggled to reach their centres on time, whilst some arrived with completely ruined admit cards. Additionally, students complained that being forced to sit exams without completing their syllabus had left them under severe psychological pressure.