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Published : 15 Jul 2026, 02:51 PM
Police have blocked a "long march" by protesting students towards the Secretariat, as demonstrators pressed their demand for the education minister's resignation amid a row over Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) exams.
Police erected barricades near the Education Building on Abdul Gani Road around 3:45pm on Wednesday, stopping the march from advancing after students set out from Science Laboratory intersection.
Several students were also seen arguing with journalists after reporters asked participants to identify themselves.
The protesters had gathered on the intersection around 2:30pm, ahead of their previously announced march to the education ministry following the day's exams.
Traffic through the road was disrupted before the group began marching around 3:15pm.
Several students were seen arguing with journalists after reporters asked participants to identify themselves.
One protester, identified only as Afridi, an HSC candidate from Bir Sreshtha Munshi Abdur Rouf Public College, said they had announced in advance that they would march to the Ministry of Education after Wednesday's examination and would continue their movement until their demands were met.
Meanwhile, another group of students who had blocked the Dhaka-Mymensingh Highway outside the BNS Centre in Uttara also began marching towards the Secretariat.
Their procession crossed Azampur around 3:45pm.
Earlier in the afternoon, after finishing their examinations, the Uttara protesters blocked all four lanes of the highway, bringing traffic in both directions to a standstill.
The protests, which began with demands to postpone the HSC and equivalent exams because of adverse weather conditions, escalated on Tuesday.
Students blocked roads in several locations, clashed with police, and expanded their demands to include the resignation of the education minister.
The government has maintained that exams will continue as scheduled in all districts except those under the flood-affected Chattogram Division.
Protesters had warned that they would march on the Secretariat if Wednesday's examinations were not postponed.
As scheduled, nine general education boards outside Chattogram held HSC examinations in Physics, Accounting and Logic (second papers) on Wednesday.
Bangladesh Madrasah Education Board examinations in Arabic (second paper) and several Technical Education Board examinations, including Business Organisation and Management, Higher Mathematics and Diploma in Commerce accounting papers, were also held in districts outside the five flood-affected districts of Chattogram Division.
HSC and equivalent exams in Chattogram Division have remained suspended since Jul 8 because of flooding and adverse weather and will remain suspended there through Thursday.
Calls to postpone Monday's HSC examinations emerged after heavy rainfall and widespread waterlogging affected several parts of the country.
Education authorities nevertheless proceeded with examinations outside Chattogram.
Students reported significant difficulties reaching examination centres because of flooding, while candidates sitting the Physics first paper also encountered two reportedly erroneous questions.
Public anger intensified after an audio recording circulated on social media on Monday night. In the recording, purportedly featuring the education minister speaking with a woman, the minister is heard referring to HSC candidates as "farm chickens," a remark that further fuelled the ongoing protests.
