Milon offers apology amid HSC protests
After daylong student protests in Dhaka and several other districts, Education Minister ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milon yesterday apologised in parliament for his remarks about HSC examinees.
He also said authorities were considering whether three tests, held on Monday despite heavy rain and waterlogging in Dhaka and elsewhere, can be held again.
The government going ahead with the exams that day upset examinees, and the situation worsened after the education minister was heard comparing the candidates to “farm chickens” in a purportedly leaked phone conversation.
The protesters disrupted traffic in several parts of the capital and clashed with police outside the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban.
They suspended their sit-in outside parliament around 9:30pm after blocking Manik Mia Avenue for hours. They said they would announce fresh programmes later and continue demanding Milon’s resignation. A small group, however, remained on the street for a brief period.
The students also demanded the suspension of Wednesday’s HSC and equivalent exams, and announced a “Long March to the Education Ministry” if the demand was not met. They said that if the exams would go ahead, they would organise the march after sitting the tests.
Speaking in parliament, Milon said, “Many have objected to a personal remark of mine. I did not say anything deliberately targeting anyone. If anyone has been hurt, I sincerely apologise.”
The minister said the government had reviewed complaints that heavy rain and waterlogging disrupted Monday’s exams and prevented many candidates from sitting for the tests.
He noted that tests under the Chattogram board had already been suspended because of flooding and would have to be held later using an alternative set of question papers.
“When the Chattogram board holds those tests with another set of question papers, arrangements can also be made for holding Monday’s exams again,” he added.
In a Facebook post around 9:25pm yesterday, Prime Minister’s Adviser and PMO spokesperson Mahdi Amin said that the candidates who missed HSC or equivalent tests because of adverse weather in other districts would be allowed to sit for fresh tests alongside the corresponding postponed exams under the Chattogram board.
The three exams held on Monday were Physics First Paper, Accounting First Paper and Logic First Paper.
DAYLONG PROTESTS
The protests in the capital began around 11:00am when students from Dhaka College, Dhaka City College, Ideal College, Notre Dame College and several other institutions blocked the Science Lab intersection. Some parents also joined them.
The protesters said many candidates had to wade through knee- to waist-deep water or travel by boat to reach exam centres, while others arrived late or missed the tests entirely.
Their demands included Milon’s resignation, fresh tests for all candidates who sat or missed the July 13 tests, postponement of the remaining exams, a revised routine, and “student-friendly” question papers.
The students later marched towards Dhaka University but were stopped by police near VC Chattar, triggering a brief scuffle. Border Guard Bangladesh personnel were subsequently deployed on the campus.
They then headed to the Dhaka Education Board, where police prevented them from entering around 3:00pm. Some protesters hurled brick chunks at the building.
Returning to Science Lab around 3:45pm, they blocked the intersection for more than an hour before marching towards the parliament around 5:20pm.
The protesters reached Manik Mia Avenue around 6:00pm when parliament was in session.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. They gathered outside the gate and chanted slogans.
Police initially tried to persuade them to leave. When some protesters attempted to enter the parliament complex around 6:45pm, law enforcers charged truncheons and chased them towards Asad Gate. Some protesters responded by hurling brick chunks.
Several students were reportedly injured, although their identities could not immediately be confirmed.
Rafiqul Islam, deputy commissioner of traffic for Tejgaon Division, said police dispersed the protesters around 7:00pm, but they regrouped and blocked Manik Mia Avenue again before suspending the demonstration around 9:30pm.
Similar demonstrations took place in Savar, Barishal, Cumilla, Narayanganj, Jashore, Bogura, Mymensingh, Rajshahi, Tangail, Sylhet, Kurigram, Sunamganj, Naogaon and Rangpur.
In Barishal, examinees blocked the Dhaka-Barishal highway, disrupting traffic on 32 inter-district routes. In Tangail, students blocked the Dhaka-Jamuna Bridge highway for more than an hour, leaving vehicles stranded on both sides.
GOVT EXPLAINS DECISION
The government said the decision to continue with the exams outside the Chattogram education board was taken after consultations with the Bangladesh Meteorological Department, divisional commissioners, deputy commissioners, police superintendents and education board chairmen.
In his Facebook post, PM’s Adviser Mahdi said exams had been suspended only in the five districts under the Chattogram board most affected by flooding. Local administrations elsewhere had been authorised to change test centres, postpone exams or extend exam time where necessary.
Earlier in the day, the Bangladesh Inter-Education Board Coordination Committee held a meeting on whether the exams should proceed.
After the meeting, its chairman, Prof Syed Akhtaruzzaman, told The Daily Star that “most of the board chairmen expressed the view that the tests should continue”.
Defending the decision in parliament, Milon said around 2,700 exam centres were operating nationwide and the Meteorological Department had forecast no heavy rains.
Responding to independent MP Rumeen Farhana, who questioned why the exams were not postponed despite flooding, the minister said authorities had additional sets of question papers and could arrange fresh tests if reports from the districts confirmed irregularities or administrative failures.
Milon also acknowledged errors in questions six and seven of the Physics First Paper test and said candidates would receive full marks for both.
Meanwhile, the Sylhet Education Board issued show-cause notices to four teachers involved in reviewing the question paper, asking them to explain within three working days why departmental action should not be taken over what the board described as serious errors and professional negligence.
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