NEWS Desk
Students have demanded the resignation of Education Minister A N M Ehsanul Haque Milon in protest against the decision to hold the Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) examination on Monday despite continuous heavy rainfall and widespread waterlogging. Students from various colleges across the country staged demonstrations, rallies, and road blockades.
Students blocked the Dhaka–Mymensingh Highway in Uttara and the Dhaka–Barishal Highway, bringing traffic on both routes to a standstill.
Earlier in the morning, students also blocked the Science Lab intersection in Dhaka and staged demonstrations in Bogura. At the time of reporting, students continued their blockade in front of the Vice Chancellor (VC) Square at the University of Dhaka, where police prevented them from entering the campus.
Dhaka–Mymensingh Highway Blockade
Students began blocking the Dhaka–Mymensingh Highway in front of the BNS Center in Uttara from the morning. A traffic official from the Uttara Traffic Division confirmed that traffic on the highway had been completely suspended.
Police Stop Students at VC Square
Students from several colleges blocked the Science Lab intersection for about an hour in the morning, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. They later marched toward the University of Dhaka, but police dispersed them near VC Square around 1:15 p.m. The students then gathered on the road from Nilkhet toward TSC, where police also remained deployed.
Science Lab Blockade
Students blocked Mirpur Road at Science Lab from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., halting traffic during that period. Afterward, one group moved toward Dhaka College, while another headed to TSC. Traffic resumed about an hour later.
Students from Dhaka City College, Dhaka Ideal College, Government Bangla College, Siddheswari Girls’ College, Lalmatia School and College, Rajarbag Police Lines School and College, BAF Shaheen College, and several other institutions—around 12 to 15 colleges in total—participated in the protest.
The demonstrators chanted slogans including:
- “One demand, one goal: Resignation of the Education Minister.”
- “Who are you, who are we? Farm chickens.”
- “No compromise, only struggle.”
Students’ Statements
Yasin Arafat, a student of Birshreshtha Munshi Abdur Rouf Public College, said:
“Two out of the eight questions in the Physics exam were incorrect. The remaining six questions were excessively difficult, comparable to university admission tests. If I fail because of this, will the Education Minister take responsibility? Of course not.”
Ahnaf Munji, a science student at Dhaka Ideal College, said:
“Because the HSC exam was held in severe weather, many students couldn’t even reach the examination center. Some slipped and fell on the way, and others had their admit cards soaked and damaged. Will the Education Minister take responsibility for that?”
He added: “We don’t want an Education Minister who cannot consider students’ well-being. We demand his resignation.”
Later in the morning, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (Ramna Division) Rabbani Hossain told Prothom Alo that students had cleared the road and traffic had returned to normal.
Protest Rally in Bogura
Students in Bogura organized a protest march and rally demanding the resignation of the Education Minister and the removal of the Education Secretary over the decision to hold the HSC examination during adverse weather.
The procession began around 11:00 a.m. from the city’s Satmatha area and reached the Deputy Commissioner’s Office around noon, where a rally was held. Protesters warned that if the minister did not resign within 24 hours, they would announce tougher protest programs.
Dhaka–Barishal Highway Blockade
At around 12:15 p.m., students from various colleges in Barishal blocked the Dhaka–Barishal Highway in front of the Barishal Education Board.
The blockade caused long traffic jams on both sides of the highway, leaving travelers stranded and causing significant disruption. As of 1:30 p.m., the blockade was still ongoing.
Post by News Desk : Mahin
