Police Block Students’ Education Ministry March

Hundreds of students demanding the resignation of Bangladesh’s Education Minister were stopped by police outside the Education Building in Dhaka on Wednesday as they attempted to carry out their announced ‘Long March to the Ministry of Education’ programme, marking another day of growing unrest over the management of this year’s Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) examinations.

The protesters began their march from the Science Laboratory intersection in the afternoon and proceeded towards the Secretariat via the University of Dhaka area. However, upon reaching the Education Building, they encountered a police barricade that had been put in place before their arrival. Unable to move forward, the students gathered in front of the building, chanting slogans and reiterating their demands.

The demonstrations stem from mounting dissatisfaction over what students describe as serious shortcomings in the ongoing HSC examinations. Protesters allege that several recent examination papers contained significant errors, while poor coordination in the examination process created widespread confusion among candidates. They also criticised remarks made by Education Minister A N M Ehsanul Haque Milon, arguing that his comments were disrespectful towards students and further intensified public anger.

Earlier in the day, between 50 and 100 students assembled at the Science Laboratory intersection at around 2:30 pm. They temporarily blocked the road for approximately 15 to 20 minutes before beginning their march towards the Secretariat. The brief blockade disrupted traffic in the surrounding area, causing congestion on several connecting roads during one of the capital’s busy afternoon periods.

Speaking outside the Education Building, one of the demonstrators, Mehedi Hasan Hamim, who identified himself as an HSC candidate from Government Laboratory High School, said repeated mistakes in recent examination papers had left thousands of candidates uncertain about how they would be assessed.

He argued that although authorities had indicated students who answered incorrect questions due to printing or content errors would receive full marks, there remained no clear explanation regarding candidates who became confused by the faulty questions and therefore chose not to answer them. According to him, the lack of transparent guidance had undermined confidence in the credibility and fairness of a major national public examination.

The protests were not confined to central Dhaka. Students in Uttara organised a separate demonstration in support of the same demands. Protesters began gathering in front of the BNS Centre shortly after midday before blocking the road at around 1:30 pm. The blockade halted traffic in both directions, resulting in lengthy traffic jams across the surrounding area.

During the demonstration, students repeatedly called for the resignation of the Education Minister while pressing a broader three-point demand. Ikra Islam Iti, an HSC candidate from Shahajuddin Sarkar School and College, said the minister’s comments had damaged students’ dignity and were unacceptable. She argued that the apology he later offered was insufficient to restore students’ confidence.

Another protester, Md Mehedi Hasan, who identified himself as an HSC candidate from Cambrian College, said the movement would continue until their demands were met. At around 3:40 pm, demonstrators in Uttara also launched their own ‘Long March to the Ministry of Education’, initially marching on foot before travelling towards central Dhaka using pickup trucks and other vehicles.

The latest demonstrations follow several days of escalating student protests across Bangladesh. On Tuesday, students staged rallies, road blockades and protest gatherings in Dhaka, Chattogram and other districts despite persistent rainfall and waterlogging in many areas. Alongside concerns over examination arrangements during adverse weather, candidates also expressed anger over errors in the Physics examination paper and questioned the overall quality of several question papers.

On Tuesday night, student organisers announced that if scheduled examinations were not postponed, they would proceed with Wednesday’s long march programme.

The protesters’ principal demands include the resignation of the Education Minister, comprehensive reforms to examination management, and a fair resolution to the recent question paper controversies. They argue that mistakes affecting a nationwide public examination should be addressed transparently and that students deserve clear assurances regarding the evaluation of their answer scripts.

Meanwhile, the Education Minister expressed regret in Parliament a day earlier over his controversial remarks concerning students. However, demonstrators say the explanation failed to address their wider concerns about examination management and accountability. As a result, tensions remain high, with student groups pledging to continue their movement until their demands receive what they consider a satisfactory response.