<i>Exams at 7 schools suspended for minister's rally</i>
Authorities of Alinagar High School in Gomostapur upazila under the district suspended yesterday's first terminal examinations of different classes as local Awami League arranged a rally with a state minister as the chief guest at the ground of adjacent Santoshpur primary school.
Six other schools in the same upazila also took the same decision as they were scheduled to hold examinations with same question papers.
The six schools are Alinagar Girls' High School in Alinagar union and Santoshpur Girls' High School, Bangabari School and College, Begunbari BIB High School, Santoshpur High School and Brajonathpur High School in Bangabari union under the same upazila.
A good number of students were also kept standing for a couple hours for reception to the state minister who attended as chief guest at the rally at Shantoshpur primary school ground arranged by local Awami League yesterday afternoon, locals said.
"A few local leaders requested us to suspend today's [Saturday] examinations. We wanted to hold the examinations before the minister's rally but they insisted, saying that loudspeakers will create disturbance to examinees," Alauddin, headmaster of Alinagar High School, said.
Six other schools also suspended their examinations as they were also scheduled to conduct examinations with the same question papers, he added.
Contacted, Shirin Akhter, acting headmaster of Santoshpur Girls' High School, said, "Authorities of seven schools in two unions of Gomostapur upazila arrange examinations with same question papers for convenience of management, especially to reduce printing cost."
"There was no way hold examinations today as local leaders created pressure," said headmaster of another school.
"My daughter Nawrin Zaman reads in class nine at Alinagar Girls' High School. Her first terminal examination started a few days ago. Mathematics examination was scheduled to be held today [Saturday] but the school authority suspended it due to the minister's rally," said Nuruzzaman, a guardian.
When contacted, Rafiqul Islam, district education officer of Chapainawabganj, said, "Earlier the local lawmaker requested me to suspend Saturday's examinations at Alinagar High School. After his request, I ordered suspending examinations of Alinagar High School. But I did not give any such order to the other schools. They suspended examinations for their own interest. I will enquire about the matter."
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