After three days of protests, blockades, and mounting political pressure, the government has revealed its intentions. On Wednesday afternoon, July 15, Dr. Mahdi Amin, advisor to the Prime Minister on Primary and Mass Education and spokesperson for the Prime Minister’s Office, announced five initiatives to facilitate student access to the baccalaureate and equivalent exams in a post on his verified Facebook page.
The announcement came on the same day that, according to the advisor, the exams proceeded peacefully at 2,583 centers across the country (except for the Chattogram Board, which is currently suspended), with a significantly improved atmosphere and enthusiastic participation from test-takers.
Here are the five initiatives — and what each one actually means for examinees.
Initiative 1: Exams Continue Outside Chattogram — And Here’s Who Decided
The government’s first point addresses the most frequently asked question of the week: why weren’t exams suspended everywhere? According to the statement, the decision to continue exams outside of Chattogram Board was unanimous, based on the opinions of divisional commissioners, deputy commissioners, police superintendents, all school board chairs, Meteorological Service officials, and stakeholders, prioritizing the interests of the vast majority of the 1,270,583 candidates. In the five flood-affected districts under Chattogram Board’s jurisdiction, exams remain suspended until July 16.
Initiative 2: Local Administration Can Act Instantly
Recognizing that flooding doesn’t follow a schedule, local authorities were instructed to make immediate decisions on the ground in response to any transportation or flooding issues, including changing exam centers, postponing local exams, or extending their duration as the situation required.
This is the mechanism that was implemented in Cumilla, according to the government. Viral photos of test-takers crossing by boat to the Cumilla Government Girls’ College captured national attention. According to the advisor’s explanation, the 987 candidates at that center (one of the 193 centers on the Cumilla examining board) faced sudden flooding, so the exam was delayed by an hour, maintaining its full duration, while the administration arranged transportation, including boats.
Initiative 3: The Re-Exam Plan — Now With a Mechanism
This is the announcement lakhs of families were waiting for. Students who could not sit any paper of the ongoing exams due to adverse weather or related unavoidable reasons will get another chance: they will sit that subject’s exam together with the Chattogram Board’s already-postponed exams — on the same ministry-fixed date and time, using the same unified question paper.
In practical terms: when Chattogram exams are rescheduled (planned for after the regular exam period ends), absent students from the other 59 districts will be included. This means no application chaos, a single exam, and fair assessment. Affected students should watch for the new dates, which we will publish as soon as they are announced.
Initiative 4: Full Marks for the Flawed Physics Questions — For Everyone
The controversy over questions 6 and 7 of the Physics First Paper’s creative section ends with a clean resolution: all examinees will receive full marks for the two flawed questions. No application, no review request needed — the marks protection applies across the board.
Initiative 5: The Question-Setters Have Been Suspended
Accountability, the government says, has already begun: the individuals responsible for preparing the erroneous Physics question paper have been temporarily suspended on charges of negligence of duty. It’s a rare instance of exam officials facing swift consequences within days of a paper controversy.
The Message Behind the Package
The advisor presented the package with a striking statement: for the Prime Minister, the Higher School Council (HSC) “is not simply an exam, but a crucial moment in shaping the future builders of Bangladesh,” which is why the government is conducting the exams with, in his words, the utmost sincerity and responsibility. He added that preparations have been made for the weather conditions in the coming days, and that they are ready to take any further measures to support the students.
Whether the package satisfies the protesting students is another matter. The five initiatives grant several of the movement’s demands—exam retakes, maximum grading, and accountability for the exam—but not the two most important: a nationwide suspension and the resignation of the Minister of Education. With the protest movement still active, the coming days will show whether this response calms the streets or simply brings them to a standstill.
The Bottom Line for Examinees
- Missed a paper because of the floods? You’ll sit it with the Chattogram Board’s rescheduled exams — watch for dates
- Worried about Physics questions 6–7? Full marks for everyone; nothing to apply for
- In the 59 districts: exams continue on schedule — keep preparing
- Under the Chattogram Board: suspension runs through July 16; revised dates coming
We’ll bring you the rescheduled exam dates and every development in this fast-moving story as it happens. Stay with us.
