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HSC examinees continued their protest late into Tuesday night, demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dr ANM Ehsanul Haque Milon despite his expression of regret over a controversial personal remark made in Parliament.
After a day of demonstrations, rallies and road blockades across the capital, hundreds of students staged sit-ins and chanted slogans in different areas, vowing to continue their movement until their demands are met.
Tension escalated in the evening when protesters attempted to hold a sit-in in front of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban. Police repeatedly asked them to leave the area, but the students refused, leading to a chase and counter-chase between the two sides.
Police later dispersed the protesters from the Parliament area, after which the students regrouped at the Aarong intersection in Asadgate.
The protesters alleged that several students were injured when police used batons to disperse them. Agitated students later hurled brickbats at law enforcers, prompting police to disperse the crowd again.
The demonstrators are pressing three demands: suspension of the ongoing HSC and equivalent examinations until the flood and disaster situation improves, fresh examinations for students who were unable to sit the July 13 tests due to adverse weather, and the resignation of the education minister.
Meanwhile, addressing Parliament on Tuesday during a discussion on the Bogura Science and Technology University Bill, Education Minister Milon announced that the postponed Chattogram Education Board examinations would be held later with a new set of question papers.
He said the suspended Physics Second Paper, Logic and Accounting examinations would be rescheduled and conducted simultaneously under different question papers.
Responding to criticism over his recent personal remarks about examinees, the minister expressed regret.
“Many have objected to my personal comment. I did not say anything intentionally to anyone. If anyone is hurt, I express my regret,” he said.
However, the apology failed to calm the protesters, who said they would continue their movement until all of their demands are fulfilled