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Published : 16 Jul 2025, 09:56 PM
Education authorities have postponed Thursday’s Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) exam on Geography II in Gopalganj following clashes linked to an attack on a National Citizen Party (NCP) rally, leading to a curfew.
The Inter-Education Board Coordination Committee, however, said the exam will go ahead as scheduled in all other districts under the Dhaka board, as well as across other education boards.
The decision to postpone the exam in Gopalganj was announced in a notice issued around 9:30pm on Wednesday.
Students in Gopalganj sit exams under the Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education, Dhaka.
The Geography Paper II test was scheduled to begin at 10am on Thursday.
Other exams, including Music Paper I, Arabic Paper I, and Pali Paper I, are set for 2pm, but Gopalganj has no candidates registered for those subjects.
“This is why only the Geography exam has been postponed,” said SM Kamal Uddin Haider, the exam controller of the Dhaka board.
The decision came after a day of intense clashes in Gopalganj that left at least four people dead.
The town descended into chaos as activists purportedly aligned with the banned Awami League and its student wing the Bangladesh Chhatra League clashed with law enforcers for over four hours.
The unrest began in the morning before the NCP leaders could enter Gopalganj with their motorcade.
A police vehicle was torched, followed by an attack on the Upazila Nirbahi (executive) Officer’s (UNO) car.
Around 1:30pm, Awami League and Chhatra League activists marched through the town shouting “Joy Bangla” and stormed the NCP rally stage at the municipal park.
After a short rally, the NCP leaders attempted to leave for Madaripur via Tekerhat under police escort.
But around 2:45pm, as the convoy reached near Gopalganj Government College in the Launch Ghat area, they came under renewed attack.
In the face of the chaos, the NCP’s central leaders sought refuge at the district police superintendent’s office.
Later, escorted in Army armoured vehicles, they left the premises.
The local administration enforced Section 144 at noon, banning public gatherings.
Later in the evening, the Chief Advisor’s Office (CAO) announced a curfew from 8pm Wednesday to 6pm Thursday to bring the situation under control.
