NN Online:
Tuesday’s scheduled Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) and equivalent exams have been postponed in the wake of the Bangladesh Air Force (BAF) training jet crash in Uttara that killed and injured dozens, many of them students.
The announcement came early Tuesday via verified Facebook posts by Information Adviser Mahfuj Alam and Youth and Sports Adviser Asif Mahmud. Both stated that the decision was taken following directives from Education Adviser Professor Dr Chowdhury Rafiqul Abrar.
“In a meeting with the Education Adviser, the decision to postpone Tuesday’s HSC exams was confirmed,” read the posts, which were shared around 2:30am.
The move came amid mounting public outrage on social media over the initial plan to go ahead with the exams despite the national tragedy. Students and activists widely condemned the apparent insensitivity of the education authorities.
Investigative journalist Zulkarnain Saer criticised the delayed decision, asking, “Where is the Health Adviser? The Education Adviser already said there’s no link between today’s tragedy and the HSC exam. How can he even say that?”
Rifat Rashid, president of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, also urged authorities to reconsider. “Postpone tomorrow’s HSC exam, Interim Authority! After such a tragedy, no student is in a state to sit for exams,” he wrote.
Tuesday’s postponed subjects include Chemistry (Theory) 2nd Paper, Islamic History & Culture 2nd Paper, History or Home Economics 2nd Paper, and Production & Marketing 2nd Paper.
New dates for the rescheduled exams will be announced soon, according to the Education Advisory Office.
