Students Demand Education Minister’s Resignation

Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) candidates staged a sit-in outside the Barishal Education Board on Wednesday, demanding the resignation of the Education Minister amid growing dissatisfaction over this year’s examination process. The demonstration formed part of a previously announced nationwide protest programme, with students from several colleges gathering outside the board office at around 2:15 pm to press their demands.

The protesting students alleged that this year’s examination papers were significantly more difficult than those of recent years. They claimed that some questions extended beyond the prescribed syllabus, placing candidates under unnecessary pressure during one of the country’s most important public examinations. According to the demonstrators, the perceived imbalance in question standards has raised concerns about fairness and consistency in the assessment process.

Students also criticised the authorities’ handling of examinations during adverse weather conditions. They argued that heavy rainfall and unfavourable weather had made it difficult for many candidates to travel to examination centres safely and on time. In several areas, they said, conditions were not conducive to holding examinations, leaving many students at a disadvantage.

Another major grievance centred on the decision-making process regarding postponed examinations. Protesters pointed out that although all education boards use identical question papers for many HSC examinations, tests postponed in one board due to local circumstances were not suspended across all boards. They argued that such inconsistency undermines the principle of equal treatment for candidates sitting the same examination nationwide.

The demonstrations were not confined to Barishal. In the capital, Dhaka, students organised a separate protest in Uttara, where they blocked a road in front of the BNS Centre at approximately 1:30 pm on Wednesday. The blockade temporarily halted traffic, causing disruption to commuters in the area as protesters continued to demand the Education Minister’s resignation and changes to the examination process.

The protesters also alleged that candidates had suffered unnecessary hardship because examinations continued despite severe weather conditions affecting different parts of the country. They further claimed that the Physics First Paper examination held on 13 July contained errors in its question paper, adding to the anxiety already experienced by examinees.

The latest demonstrations followed a series of protests held a day earlier. On Tuesday, students in Dhaka and several other parts of the country staged road blockades and rallies demanding the postponement of HSC examinations, citing concerns over weather-related disruptions and what they described as irregularities in the examination system.

The protests reflect mounting frustration among sections of HSC candidates over examination management, question standards and the authorities’ response to their concerns. At the time of the demonstrations, no immediate official response or announcement regarding the students’ demands had been reported.