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Published : 15 Jul 2026, 12:59 AM
HSC exams candidates have ended a daylong blockade in Dhaka but warned of a protest march to the Ministry of Education if Wednesday's test is not postponed.
The protesters left Manik Mia Avenue outside parliament shortly after 9:40pm on Tuesday, allowing traffic to resume.
Before ending the day’s protests, they demanded that Wednesday's exam be postponed by Tuesday night.
Speaking at a briefing around 9:30pm, a Dhaka City College student identified only as Raj said: "None of our core demands has been met. We also want the education minister to resign because we want a student-friendly education minister.
“If our demands are not met and we have to sit Wednesday's exam, we announce a long march to the Ministry of Education."
He added, "We are saying 'if' we have to sit the examination... Otherwise, the government may later say we failed because we did not appear."
The protesters' demands are:
Suspend HSC and equivalent examinations until flooding and severe weather across the country subside
Arrange a retake for candidates unable to sit the Jul 13 exams because of adverse weather
Ensure the resignation of Education Minister ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milon.
Students blocked roads at Science Lab and later outside parliament throughout the day, bringing traffic to a standstill.
Another blockade was staged outside Uttara's BNS Centre.
They also clashed briefly with police near Haji Muhammad Mohsin Hall at the Dhaka University before marching via Nilkhet and Palashi to the Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education, Dhaka.
They rejected an offer of talks from board officials and resumed their blockade.
Amid the protests, Milon held an emergency meeting with Prime Minister Tarique Rahman at parliament at 5:30pm.
Police dispersed demonstrators from Manik Mia Avenue with batons around 6:30pm, but they regrouped nearly two hours later before ending the day's programme at 9:30pm.
