The demand to halt the baccalaureate exams is no longer just a social media protest; it has become an organized and multifaceted campaign. In a single day, three major student organizations formally requested the government to suspend the baccalaureate and equivalent exams, given the growing impact of the floods across the country.
According to figures cited in the organizations’ statements, the floods have so far claimed 51 lives nationwide, and around one million people remain stranded in seven districts. Against this backdrop, hundreds of thousands of baccalaureate students are taking the official exams, many of them wading through flooded streets to reach their exam centers.
Chhatra Odhikar Parishad: “Postpone for One Week”
The most specific demand came from the Bangladesh Chhatra Odhikar Parishad on Monday, July 13. In a message sent by the organization’s secretary, Mohammad Ali Toha, the organization demanded that all HSC and equivalent exams be postponed for at least a week.
Their statement painted a bleak picture of the situation facing students in the flood-affected areas: road communications are completely cut off in many areas, numerous educational institutions are now functioning as shelters, students’ families are living in these shelters, and in many cases, students’ books, notes, and essential documents have been destroyed by the water.
The organization’s president, Nazmul Hasan, and secretary-general, Sanaullah Haque, framed the issue as a matter of basic justice: the state has a duty to ensure equal opportunities for all students, and holding exams while ignoring the reality of students affected by the disaster would violate fundamental justice and equal rights in education. No student, they argued, should have their future jeopardized simply because a natural disaster has struck their district.
In addition to the one-week postponement, the Parishad urged the Minister of Education to publish a revised exam schedule once the flood situation has normalized, giving affected students sufficient time to recover and prepare.
Chhatra Dal and Chhatra Shibir Join the Chorus
On the same day, Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal issued a statement—signed by its secretary, Md. Jahangir Alam, on behalf of President Rakibul Islam Rakib and Secretary-General Nasir Uddin Nasir—demanding the temporary suspension of ongoing HSC and equivalent exams, along with other board and university examinations.
Chhatra Dal’s argument encompassed the scale of the crisis: continuous torrential rains, flash floods, and thawing in seven districts; hundreds of thousands of students whose preparations have been disrupted; general security risks; psychological and humanitarian distress; and extreme travel difficulties.
Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir issued a similar demand, pointing to flooded examination centers in Dhaka and other cities, and insisting that the exams remain suspended until the flood situation is fully resolved and a suitable environment for the examinations can be guaranteed. Political voices have also joined in, with leaders arguing that students’ lives should take precedence over exam schedules.
Where the Boards Stand Right Now
Despite mounting pressure, school boards have maintained their stance so far. The decision by the Inter-Agency Coordinating Committee of School Boards keeps exams scheduled everywhere except in the Chattogram School Board, where exams in the five flood-affected districts of the Chattogram Division remain suspended until July 16.
The Minister of Education has stated that the government is continuously monitoring the situation with the 64 Deputy Commissioners, board chairs, and the Meteorological Service, and that any exams that cannot be safely conducted in a given area will be postponed and rescheduled, with the students’ interests being paramount. However, with the death toll rising and student organizations openly demanding a nationwide suspension, the minister is facing increasing criticism for continuing with the exams.
What This Means for Examinees
For now, one thing is clear: outside the five Chattogram Board districts, exams are proceeding as scheduled, regardless of the requirements. Unless the Ministry or the Coordinating Committee announces otherwise, students should prepare for their next scheduled exam and allow extra time for travel due to flooded roads.
This is a constantly evolving situation. Should flooding conditions worsen or pressure lead to a policy change, an announcement may be made at short notice and will first be communicated through official board channels, not via Facebook posts. We will inform you of any changes to the exam schedule as soon as they are official.
Our thoughts are with all the families affected by these floods and with all the students facing the most important exams of their lives under the most difficult circumstances imaginable. Stay safe and continue to monitor for verified updates.
