Students block Dhaka, Bogura and Barishal roads for resignation of edu minister

Protesting against the decision to hold the HSC (Higher Secondary Certificate) examinations on Monday amidst torrential rain and severe waterlogging, students have demanded the resignation of the Education Minister ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milon.

Students from various colleges across different parts of the country staged road blockades, demonstrations and rallies to press home their demand.

The protesters blocked the Dhaka–Mymensingh highway in Uttara and the Dhaka–Barishal highway, bringing vehicular movement on both major highways to a complete standstill.

Earlier in the morning, students also blockaded the Science Laboratory intersection in the capital and held protests in Bogura.

According to the latest reports, students are currently staging a blockade in front of the Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor’s residence, where police have erected barricades to prevent them from advancing further into the university campus.

Students have blocked the Dhaka–Mymensingh highway in front of the BNS Centre in Uttara since morning.

A senior officer from the Uttara Traffic Division confirmed that traffic on the highway remains completely suspended.

Earlier in the day, students from various colleges blockaded the capital’s Science Laboratory intersection for an hour, staging a sit-in from 11:30 am to 12:30 pm.

In the afternoon, they marched towards Dhaka University. Around 1:15 pm, police dispersed them from the front of the VC's residence.

The students have since taken up positions on the road leading from Nilkhet to the Teacher-Student Centre (TSC) of Dhaka University, where a heavy police presence remains deployed.

Between 11:30 am and 12:30 pm, students blocked Mirpur Road to stage their protest, bringing traffic on the busy thoroughfare to a complete halt.

Later, one group of students headed towards Dhaka College while another marched towards TSC. Vehicular movement resumed on the road after an hour.

Students from 12 to 15 colleges, 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 blockade.

During the demonstration, the students chanted various slogans, including: “One point, one demand—resignation of the Education Minister!”.

"Out of the eight questions in the physics exam, two were completely incorrect," said Yasin Arafat, a student of Birshreshtha Munshi Abdur Rouf Public College. "The remaining six questions were exceptionally difficult—on par with university admission tests. If I fail now, will the education minister take responsibility? He certainly will not."

Ahnaf Munzi, a science stream student from Dhaka Ideal College, said, "Due to the examination being held under such hostile weather conditions, many students could not even take the exam. Many fell down in the water on the streets on their way to the exam centre, and their admit cards were ruined by the rain. Will the education minister take responsibility for this?"

"We do not want an education minister who fails to consider the plight of students during his tenure. We demand his immediate resignation," he added.

Rabbani Hossain, Additional Deputy Commissioner of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s Ramna Division, told Prothom Alo in the morning that the students had cleared the road and traffic flow had returned to normal.

In Bogura, students brought out a protest march and held a rally demanding the resignation of the education minister and the removal of the education secretary over the decision to conduct HSC exams amidst adverse weather.

At around 11:00 am, they brought out a procession from the town's Satmatha area. By 12:00 pm, the march moved from Satmatha to the courtyard of the deputy commissioner’s office, where a rally was held.

During the rally, the students threatened to launch tougher programmes if the minister does not resign within 24 hours.

Around 12:15 pm, students from various colleges in Barisal blockaded the Dhaka–Barishal highway in front of the Barisal education board.

The blockade left vehicles stranded on both sides of the highway, causing immense suffering to commuters.

According to the latest reports received at 1:30 pm, the blockade was still ongoing.