Students blocked roads in Uttara on Wednesday afternoon as part of their previously announced “Long March to the Ministry of Education” program.
Students from different examination centres in the area took to the streets after completing the HSC examination. Police requested them to clear the roads, but the protesters remained in place, causing traffic congestion.
Uttara East Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Morshed said: “Students have taken positions on the road after the examination. We are requesting them to leave. We remain on alert.”
HSC and equivalent examinations were held across the country on Monday, except in five districts under the Chittagong Board, due to adverse weather. In several centres, examinees were seen wading through waist-deep water to reach examination halls.
Students also expressed anger over a viral audio clip allegedly featuring the education minister referring to examinees as “farm chickens,” as well as errors in the Physics First Paper question.
Initially, the protesters announced eight demands, which were later narrowed to three: postponing the HSC examinations until conditions improve, awarding full marks for erroneous questions in the Physics First Paper, and a public apology from the education minister.
The minister expressed regret in Parliament on Tuesday night and announced that the Physics First Paper, Accounting First Paper and Logic First Paper examinations held on Monday would be retaken.
However, the announcement failed to calm the protesters, who are now demanding the education minister’s resignation and have continued their protest program.