HSC exam protesters reach Shikkha Bhaban as 'March to Secretariat' continues

Protesting students on their “Long March to the Education Ministry” from the Science Laboratory intersection in the capital have reached the front of the Shikkha Bhaban, where they came across police barricades and stopped. 

They are currently shouting slogans demanding the resignation of the Education Minister. 

The students say that as per the previous announcement yesterday, they are observing the march.

After staging a sit-in and blocking roads at the Science Laboratory intersection in the capital to press home their three-point demands, protesting HSC candidates began the "long march" shortly after 3:00pm on Wednesday. 

Traffic at the Science Laboratory intersection returned to normal after the students left the road.

Earlier in the day, after finishing their examinations, students came out of various examination centres and gathered at the Science Laboratory intersection to hold demonstrations. 

They later began a procession towards the Ministry of Education centring their three-point demand.

The demands are: postponing the HSC and equivalent examinations until the flood situation returns to normalcy, arranging re-examinations for students who were unable to sit for the 13 July examinations due to adverse weather, and the resignation of Education and Primary and Mass Education Minister ANM Ehsanul Haque Milon.

At the same time, students also blocked roads and demonstrated in Uttara, Mirpur-10 and the ECB Chattar area, causing gridlocks in the areas. 

Elsewhere in Uttara, protesters have also begun a long march towards the Secretariat over the same demands. 

The protesters said holding the HSC and equivalent examinations amid continuous rainfall, waterlogging and the ongoing flood situation in different parts of the country was discriminatory and caused hardship for students. 

They therefore demanded implementation of their three-point demands.

The examinees said as no announcement had been made by Tuesday regarding their demands, they were carrying out the long march in line with their previously announced programme. 

During the procession, they chanted slogans including, "One point, one demand—resignation of the Education Minister" and "Who are you, who am I?—Farm chickens." 

They were also seen carrying placards demanding the postponement of the examinations and the resignation of the Education Minister.

Meanwhile, students have also blocked the Dhaka-Aricha Highway in Savar. 

After taking position at the Pakiza intersection shortly after 2:00pm on Wednesday and beginning their demonstration, traffic movement on the highway was disrupted. 

Police were seen holding discussions with the protesters to bring the situation under control.

Savar Highway Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Saogatul Alam said, "The students came onto the highway after 2:00pm. We are trying to persuade them to leave the road through discussions."

On Monday, HSC and equivalent examinations were held across the country except in five districts of Chattogram despite adverse weather conditions. 

Due to flooding and waterlogging, many candidates had to wade through waist-deep water to reach their examination centres.

Meanwhile, a recording of a phone conversation involving the Education Minister spread on social media. 

It was alleged that he referred to the examinees as "farm chickens." 

At the same time, an error in the Physics First Paper question also drew widespread criticism. 

Following these incidents, the examinees initially launched a movement with an eight-point set of demands, but later reduced those to three.

On Tuesday night, the Education Minister expressed regret in the Jatiya Sangsad and announced that the Physics First Paper, Accounting First Paper and Logic First Paper examinations would be held again. 

However, the students were not satisfied with the announcement. 

They continued their movement demanding implementation of their three-point demands, including the resignation of the Education Minister.