What began as outrage on social media has spilled into the streets. Students taking the HSC exam staged protests across Bangladesh on Tuesday, blocking roads, marching to education boards, and gathering outside the national parliament, demanding the suspension of the ongoing exams and the resignation of Education Minister Dr. A. N. M. Ehsanul Haque Milon within 24 hours.
The immediate trigger: Monday’s Physics exam (the first test) was held despite torrential rains, flooding, and waterlogging, leaving many students across the country unable to reach their exam centers.
The Three Demands
The protesting students, identifying themselves as the HSC 2026 batch, have put forward three specific demands:
- Suspend the HSC and equivalent exams until the disaster situation fully returns to normal
- Arrange re-examinations for the students who could not sit Monday’s (July 13) exam because of the severe weather
- The Education Minister must apologize for his remarks about the protesting students — or resign within 24 hours
Several groups added a fourth demand: the removal of the Education Secretary.
From Science Lab to the Parliament Gates
The protests were remarkable for their spread. In the capital, students occupied the Science Lab intersection from late morning and blocked the road in front of the BNS Center in Uttara. By evening, protesters had gathered in front of the Jatiya Sangsad building — while the Parliament session was running inside — bringing traffic on the surrounding roads to a halt as law enforcement took position.
Students from Dhaka College, City College, Ideal College, Dhaka Commerce College, Tejgaon College, and other institutions under the Dhaka Board of Education joined the demonstrations, chanting a slogan that echoed throughout the day: “One point, one demand: Milon’s resignation.”
When a group marched toward the Dhaka Board of Education, they were stopped by police. Some students reported being harassed and attacked near the board’s office and the university area, resulting in several injuries; these reports further fueled an already heated movement.
Outside Dhaka, the situation was similar. In Savar, students blocked the Dhaka-Aricha Expressway for about an hour, stranding hundreds of vehicles. In Bogura, protesters marched from Satmatha to the Deputy Commissioner’s office and warned of more drastic measures if their demands were not met within 24 hours. Demonstrations and blockades were also reported in Chattogram (in front of the Sholoshahar board office), Cumilla, Sunamganj, Naogaon, Joypurhat and other locations.
And amid all of it, one image captured the strange cruelty of the moment: several protesters sat on the blocked road with their books open — preparing for Wednesday’s Accounting Second Paper while demanding that very exam system be paused.
The Grievances Run Deeper Than the Weather
Talk to the protesters and it becomes clear the anger has been building for weeks. Their complaints include:
- The Physics paper itself — many students say Monday’s question was excessively difficult, with portions allegedly from outside the syllabus
- The broken unified-question promise — the ministry had announced exams would be held with a common question paper across boards, yet students say different boards received different questions, creating unequal competition
- The Chattogram-only postponement — with floods and heavy rain affecting Sunamganj and other regions too, students ask why only one board’s exams were suspended while everyone else was forced to sit in the same weather
The Minister’s Response
In response to a question from independent MP Rumin Farhana in Parliament about why such an important exam wasn’t postponed, the Minister of Education replied that, with the exception of a single center at Cumilla Mahila College, Monday’s exams proceeded smoothly across the country, and that the decision to continue was a collective one, made after consulting with officials from the Meteorological Service, Deputy Commissioners, and UN officials.
When asked directly about the calls for his resignation, the minister initially said he would address the matter in Parliament. Later, he expressed regret for his earlier comments about the students, a partial concession to one of their three demands, although the protesters have shown no signs of backing down.
What Happens Now?
The students have made their next strategy clear: they ended Tuesday night’s activities with the announcement of renewed demonstrations starting Wednesday at noon, after having taken their Accounting exam that morning. The protesters at the Science Lab say they will maintain their position until their demands are met.
For now, the exams are proceeding as planned outside the Chattogram Board of Education. However, with the 24-hour ultimatum underway, reported injuries, road blockades in several districts, and the apology already issued by the Minister, this has become the most serious confrontation between students and the education administration in recent history. Whatever the outcome—a postponement, a retake of the exam, or an escalation—we will provide updates as they become available.
Stay tuned, and to students traveling to exam rooms from the protest areas: stay safe.
