Students protest demanding resignation of Education Adviser, Secretary in front of Secretariat

Students are staging a protest in front of the main gate of the Secretariat in Dhaka, demanding the resignation of the Education Adviser and Education Secretary. As a result, all entrances to the Secretariat have been closed, leading to a complete halt in vehicle movement on the road outside.

On Tuesday afternoon around 2:30 PM, students from various educational institutions gathered outside the Secretariat.

Jonayed Ahmed, an HSC examinee from Cantonment School and College, told reporters near the Education Building, “Despite the massive tragedy at Milestone College, today’s HSC exams were not postponed. Why was the decision taken so late, at 3 AM? We prepared for the exams in the morning, left home, and only later heard that the exams were postponed. We no longer want to see such irresponsible education officials. That’s why we came here demanding their resignation.”

Eyewitnesses said that around 2:30 PM, the protesting students took position near Gate No. 1 of the Secretariat, chanting slogans like “Fake, fake” and “Why did my brother die? Administration must answer.”

Law enforcement personnel, including police, were deployed at all gates of the Secretariat.

Some protesting students said that a part of the group marched from the Dhaka Education Board office to the Secretariat gate. Students who failed the SSC exams also joined the protest, demanding re-evaluation of their answer scripts.

With the gates of the Secretariat closed, numerous vehicles remain stranded inside. Security forces are on alert to control the situation.

Following the deadly air crash at Milestone School and College in Uttara, the HSC and equivalent exams scheduled for today were postponed. However, this decision was announced late Monday night around 2:45 AM.

Initially, information about the exam postponement was shared on social media by Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiya, Adviser to the Interim Government’s Local Government Ministry, and Information Adviser Mahfuz Alam. Later, at around 7:15 AM on Tuesday, Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam of the Chief Adviser’s office confirmed the postponement. The Inter-Education Board Coordination Committee also announced the suspension of exams.