Students block Science Lab intersection for an hour, demanding education minister’s resignation

A group of students has demanded the resignation of Education Minister ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milon in protest against the decision to hold the Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) examinations yesterday, Monday despite continuous rainfall and widespread waterlogging.

To press their demand, they blocked the Science Laboratory intersection in the capital for one hour.

Students also held protest marches and rallies in Bogura.

The students blocked Mirpur Road and staged a demonstration, bringing traffic on the road to a standstill from 11:30 am to 12:30 pm today, Tuesday.

After the protest, one group of students headed towards Dhaka College, while another marched towards the Teacher-Student Centre (TSC) of Dhaka University.

Traffic resumed after the one-hour blockade ended.

Students from 12 to 15 educational institutions, including Dhaka City College, Dhaka Ideal College, Government Bangla College, Siddheswari Girls' College, Lalmatia School and College, Rajarbagh Police Lines School and College, and BAF Shaheen College, participated in the protest. During the demonstration, the students chanted various slogans against the education minister.

Yasin Arafat, a student of Birshreshtha Munshi Abdur Rouf Public College, said, "Two out of the eight questions in the Physics examination were incorrect. The remaining six questions were extremely difficult. They were as difficult as university admission test questions. If I fail, will the education minister take responsibility? He certainly will not."

Ahnaf Munji, a science student at Dhaka Ideal College said, "Because the HSC examinations were held in adverse weather conditions, many students could not sit the examinations. Others fell on the roads while travelling to their examination centres. Some candidates' admit cards became soaked and were damaged. Will the education minister take responsibility for these incidents?"

"We do not want an education minister who cannot consider the interests of students while holding office. We want his resignation," he added.

Students in Bogura also organised a protest march and rally, demanding the resignation of the education minister and the removal of the education secretary in protest against holding the HSC examinations during adverse weather conditions.

At around 11:00 am, they brought out a protest procession from the Satmatha area of the town.

At about 12:00 pm, the procession moved from Satmatha to the premises of the deputy commissioner's office, where the students held a rally.

During the rally, the students warned that they would announce stricter protest programmes if the education minister did not resign within 24 hours.