Students in Dhaka Demand Resignation of Education Minister Amid Exam Disruptions
Hundreds of students took to the streets in Bangladesh’s capital, Dhaka, on Wednesday, blocking key intersections to call for the resignation of the education minister. Their protests stemmed from frustrations over the handling of nationwide school-leaving exams that were severely impacted by recent floods.
The demonstrations began as an online campaign and quickly moved into the streets on Tuesday. Traffic was heavily affected in various parts of the city due to the protests.
The students were outraged by the education ministry’s decision not to cancel one of the Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) exam papers, even as heavy rains had flooded many exam centers. In some cases, students had to navigate to their testing locations by boat.
Faisal Khan, an HSC candidate, expressed the students’ resolve, stating, “We will keep protesting until the minister resigns.” He added that the minister dismissed their concerns, making a derogatory comment about them being “broiler chickens” who easily catch cold. Khan emphasized, “We want to show him what we can do.”
Khan also referenced past student-led protests in 2024 that played a pivotal role in the exit of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. He noted, “People faced serious consequences after making insulting comments about students.”
Another student, who preferred to remain anonymous for fear of reprisal, criticized Education Minister Ehsanul Hoque Milon for being disconnected from students’ real issues. “He keeps saying he wants to prevent cheating during exams but seems to overlook the bigger challenges we face,” she said. “We want him to focus on helping students who have dropped out instead.”
While Milon has refused to cancel the HSC exams, he acknowledged the trouble caused by the flooding. He assured that students who missed the tests would receive another chance to take them. He mentioned that exams under the Chattogram Education Board had already been postponed due to the extreme weather.
“The government is making special arrangements given the significance of these exams for the students’ future,” he added. The HSC examinations, which are equivalent to British A-levels, are crucial for thousands of students in Bangladesh seeking admission to universities.
