HSC candidates have been holding protests and road blockades throughout various parts of Dhaka since morning.
They gathered in front of the National Parliament House by evening.
While the national parliament session was ongoing, they started chanting "fake," "fake" slogans at Manik Mia Avenue from 6 PM.
Students protested starting Tuesday morning in different parts of the country including Dhaka, blocking roads in opposition to holding HSC exams amid continuous rain and waterlogging on Monday.
They demanded the resignation of Education Minister ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milon.
Students also accused the physics exam paper of containing errors and difficult questions, raising concerns that the standard question paper was harder than those of previous years.
In the morning, students from various colleges began their movement by blocking the Science Lab intersection in the capital. They then moved to the VC chattar of Dhaka University. After being dispersed by the police, they went to Bakshibazar in front of the Dhaka Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board. From there, they returned to block the Science Lab intersection again around 3: 45PM.
Amid the student movement at Science Lab, the Education Minister assured during the parliamentary Q&A session that the issues of the students would be addressed, urging them to return to their study desks.
He stated that candidates would receive full marks for the mistakes in the HSC physics paper and, if necessary, a retake would be held at problematic centres.
Following the announcement by the Education Minister, around 5: 20 PM, students reiterated their three-point demand, including the resignation of the minister.
The demands included the immediate resignation of the Education Minister by 6 PM today, an apology for inconsistent statements, the re-conduction of exams for all students who couldn't take part on 13 July due to unpleasant conditions, the postponement of the exam scheduled for tomorrow, 15 July, and a publication of a new student-friendly exam schedule.
Expressing these demands, students marched from the Science Lab intersection towards the National Parliament.
Mirajul Islam, a student of Dhaka City College, announced the three-point demand at the Science Lab intersection.
When asked why they suddenly decided to gather in front of the National Parliament House, he told Prothom Alo, "Despite protests at various places from yesterday, no announcement came in our favour. Hence, we gathered in front of the Parliament House so that they can see how students are suffering. "
When asked why the protests continue even after the Education Minister announced a retake for those who couldn’t take the exam, Mirajul from Dhaka City College said, "We do not accept his announcement. He has made many announcements before, but none have been implemented. There is no guarantee that his recent announcement will be implemented, which is why we do not consider him fit for this position. "
Day-long movement
In the morning, students from different colleges blocked the Science Lab intersection for an hour, halting traffic on that significant road in Dhaka.
Students remained at the location from 11: 30 AM to 12: 30 PM and then moved towards Dhaka University. Around 1: 15 PM, police dispersed them from the in front of the VC’s chattar, after which the students proceeded to Palashi’s intersection and then to Bakshibazar in front of the Dhaka Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board.
Around 2: 45 PM, students gathered in front of the Dhaka Education Board. There, they demanded the resignation of the Education Minister, chanting "fake," "fake" slogans, hurling bricks, and shaking the gates.
Some students moved back towards the Science Lab intersection. Shortly before 4 PM, they blocked the intersection again. During this time, Md Samir, a student of Birshrestha Noor Mohammad Public College, mentioned that they could not decide where exactly to present their demands accurately, which prompted their attempt to go to TSC. The police hindered them in front of the Dhaka Education Board and the university area, some were injured.
The students vowed to continue the movement until their demands were met. In the meantime, the Education Minister ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milon appealed to the students to return to their study desks during the parliamentary Q&A session.
He assured that full marks would be awarded for errors in the HSC physics paper and said retakes would be held in problematic centres if necessary.
Following the minister's statement, students marched from Science Lab towards the National Parliament.
Alongside the protests and blockades in Dhaka, students blocked the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway, one of the main entry points to Dhaka in Uttara.
Protests and road blockades also took place in various districts, including Barisal, Mymensingh, Cumilla, and Bogura concerning the HSC exams.
