Waterlogged Cumilla Exam Centre Relocated After Severe Flooding

Waterlogged Cumilla Exam Centre Relocated After Severe Flooding

The Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education, Cumilla, has officially relocated an Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) examination centre following severe waterlogging that forced candidates to wade through waist-deep water to attend their exams.

Torrential rainfall on Monday morning left the premises of Cumilla Government Women’s College entirely submerged. Recognising the immense hardship and potential health risks posed to the examinees, education authorities intervened swiftly on Monday evening to shift the venue for all subsequent assessments.

Professor Mohammad Shafiqul Islam, the Controller of Examinations for the Cumilla Education Board, confirmed the decision. He stated that the measure was pre-emptive, designed to safeguard students from further distress should adverse weather persist. The relocation takes effect from the next scheduled examination on Wednesday, 15 July.

Heavy Downpours Paralise Urban Infrastructure

The crisis unfolded rapidly on Monday morning when the local meteorological office recorded a staggering 107 millimetres of rainfall in just three hours, between 6:00 am and 9:00 am. This intense deluge effectively paralysed the city’s infrastructure. Main thoroughfares, residential avenues, and connecting alleys were swiftly inundated, with water levels ranging from knee-deep to waist-deep across various neighbourhoods.

The situation was particularly critical in the vicinity of Cumilla Government Women’s College. The entire campus grounds were transformed into a waterlogged basin, complicating access for the 1,209 candidates assigned to the venue.

Faced with rising waters, examinees struggled to reach their examination halls on time. Many had to ruin their uniforms and risk their study materials just to gain entry. In response to the emerging crisis, the Cumilla City Corporation deployed plastic boats and cycle vans to ferry stranded students across the flooded campus gates.

Seamless Transition Promised at New Venue

To prevent a recurrence of these chaotic scenes, authorities have transferred all 1,209 candidates to Ajit Guha Mohavidyalay, located in the city’s Chhatipatti area. This college already serves as an active HSC examination centre, raising initial questions regarding its spatial capacity.

Addressing concerns over potential overcrowding at the new venue, Professor Islam reassured the public that the receiving institution is well-equipped to handle the sudden influx of students. He noted that Ajit Guha Mohavidyalay possesses sufficient seating capacity and infrastructural resources to accommodate the additional examinees smoothly.

Monsoon-induced waterlogging remains a persistent challenge for urban centres across Bangladesh during the examination season. This swift relocation highlights the growing necessity for contingency planning within the national education system to shield students from the unpredictable impacts of extreme weather events.