O level candidates in Bangladesh who are taking the Cambridge International Examinations during the October-November session are apprehensive about possibly losing an academic year because of the opposition’s 60-hour hartal which begins on Sunday.
Some O level exams are scheduled for Monday.
Normally in the case of hartals the British Council conducts missed exams at night. But since the shutdown is non-stop this time, it will be difficult to hold the tests at night.
A British Council official in Dhaka said they had not yet reached any decision in this regard.
“We might get a decision on Sunday, and will let the students know about our decision on holding the examinations,” the official told the Dhaka Tribune requesting anonymity.
Unless the British Council reschedules the missed examinations, the candidates will have to take the exams in the next academic session.
Many examinees told the Dhaka Tribune that they were worried about whether they would be able to sit for the exams this year.
The students also claimed that there were rumours the British Council does not want to conduct O and A level examinations in Bangladesh due to the country’s volatile political situation.
In that case, the students feared, they would have to travel to neighbouring countries to take the exams.
However, the British Council official would not say if there was any such plan.
Meanwhile, many guardians also expressed their frustration over the confrontational politics that disrupts their children’s education.