Noted writer and educationalist Muhammad Zafar Iqbal has demanded a public hearing in the incident of "question paper leak" in the ongoing Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) examinations.
He made the demand at a sit-in programme held at the Central Shaheed Minar in protest against the incident.
Zafar Iqbal told the Dhaka tribune: "This type of incidents are unacceptable. The authority has to take immediate steps to stop question paper leaking incidents, otherwise we will continue our protests.
“A public hearing should be held in this regard. People from all walks of life, students, teachers and guardians should be allowed to express their observations there in order to reach a solution," he added.
He said: “The names of the culprits will be disclosed once the matter is investigated. I have proof regarding the question paper leak and I also have the names of the people who are involved with it.”
Writer Anisul Hoque expressed his solidarity with the protest which ended around 1pm.
He said: “Six sets of question papers should be prepared for the examinations, so that the students read the whole book.”
Earlier in the day, Zafar Iqbal along with his wife Yasmin Haq started the sit-in programme at the Central Shaheed Minar around 8:30am. Later, they left the Shaheed Minar premises because of the rainfall and took shelter under various nearby sheds.
A number of civil society members, students and teachers of several institutions had joined the programme. School students and children were also seen joining the protest.
Earlier on May 23, he announced to stage the protest programme.