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Education Minister Dr A N M Ehsanul Haque Milon on Tuesday expressed regret if anyone had been hurt by his personal remarks about students, saying he had neither intended to target anyone nor make the comments deliberately.
Speaking during an unscheduled discussion in the Jatiya Sangsad, the minister said his remarks had been misunderstood after a segment of a private phone conversation was circulated on social media.
“I did not make the comments targeting anyone or with any ill intention. If anyone has been hurt by my personal remarks, I simply express my regret,” he told the House during the sitting chaired by Deputy Speaker Barrister Kaysar Kamal.
The controversy arose after students demanded the postponement of Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) examinations due to heavy rainfall on Monday.
The minister said examinations in Physics (Second Paper), Accounting and Logic were held as scheduled despite adverse weather conditions. Many students were soaked by rain on their way to examination centres, while some were unable to sit the examinations under normal conditions.
Considering the situation, students demanded that the examinations be postponed, he said, adding that the government had already suspended the examinations in Chattogram, where they would be rescheduled later.
The issue gained further attention after a video clip of the minister’s WhatsApp conversation with a student’s guardian went viral on social media.
According to the minister, the guardian of a City College student contacted him via WhatsApp regarding the demand for postponing the examinations, after which he spoke directly with the student.
In the widely circulated clip, the minister was heard saying, while referring to students’ physical condition, “These are like farm chickens. They catch a fever after getting wet in a little rain.”
The remark sparked widespread criticism online, prompting the minister to address the issue in Parliament.
Responding to the criticism, he reiterated that the comments were personal in nature and were not intended to offend any student.
“I never intended to make any offensive or targeted remarks. If anyone feels hurt, I sincerely express my regret,” he said.