Why are Bangladesh's students demanding the education minister's resignation?

Bangladesh is witnessing one of its biggest student movements in recent years, with hundreds of thousands of Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) and equivalent examination candidates taking to the streets over the government's handling of this year's board examinations.

What began as scattered appeals to postpone examinations because of severe monsoon flooding has rapidly transformed into a nationwide campaign demanding the resignation of Bangaldeshi Education Minister Dr ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milon.

Students accuse the ministry of ignoring their safety, mishandling the examination process and failing to respond adequately to repeated concerns over question paper errors and the worsening flood situation.

The demonstrations, which started around Dhaka University, have spread across major cities and districts including Savar, Barishal, Cumilla, Narayanganj, Jashore, Bogura, Rajshahi, Tangail, Mymensingh and Chattogram, with protesters blocking highways, occupying key intersections and disrupting traffic.

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Beyond seeking the minister's resignation, demonstrators are also demanding a public apology to students and teachers for what they describe as a series of administrative failures and an end to what they call "experiments" with the country's examination system.

Floods and examinations: The issue that sparked the protests

The immediate trigger for the unrest was the government's decision to continue HSC and equivalent examinations despite widespread flooding caused by torrential monsoon rains.

Large parts of Bangladesh have been battered by flash floods and landslides. According to government figures, at least 51 people have died in the disaster, while more than one million people have been affected.

Thousands of residents have taken shelter in government-run emergency centres.

Against this backdrop, students argued that sitting for one of the country's most important public examinations had become both dangerous and unfair.

Many candidates said they were forced to travel through knee- to waist-deep floodwater and thick mud to reach examination centres, while others relied on boats because roads had become impassable.

Flooded streets, damaged transport networks and waterlogged neighbourhoods caused significant delays, with some students missing examinations altogether.

Several examinees also reported arriving soaked after navigating floodwaters, with some saying even their examination admit cards had been damaged by rain.

Student groups accused the Education Ministry of prioritising adherence to the examination calendar over the safety and welfare of candidates, insisting that the remaining examinations should be postponed until conditions improve.

Question paper errors add to student anger

The flood-related concerns were compounded by complaints about the quality of this year's examination papers. One of the biggest controversies surrounded the Physics First Paper examination, particularly questions 6 and 7 in the creative section prepared under the Sylhet Education Board.

Students alleged that these questions contained multiple errors and inconsistencies, making them impossible or extremely difficult to solve within the allotted time.

Protesters also claimed that several other questions were set at a level more appropriate for university entrance examinations than for higher secondary students.

The issue added to concerns among candidates already struggling with the effects of the floods, with many fearing poor results because of factors beyond their control.

In response to the criticism, the Education Ministry announced that all affected candidates would receive full marks for the flawed Physics questions.

Authorities also initiated disciplinary action against those involved in preparing the paper. Four senior professors and assistant professors responsible for drafting and reviewing the examination under the Sylhet region were served show-cause notices over what the ministry described as professional negligence.

The 'farm chickens' controversy

The protests gained more momentum after an audio clip purportedly featuring Milon went viral. In the recording, the minister allegedly referred to protesting HSC students as "farm-er murgi" or "farm chickens" (khamarer murgi).

The remark was widely condemned by students, who viewed it as insulting and dismissive at a time when they were struggling to reach examination centres amid floods.

The controversy quickly became a rallying point for the protest movement. In an example of students using satire to express their anger, a social media page titled the "Broiler Chicken Party" was launched following the circulation of the audio clip.

Carrying placards and chanting slogans such as "No politics in education" and "We want the education minister's resignation", students expanded their demonstrations across the country.

In Dhaka, protesters initially gathered outside Dhaka University before marching towards different parts of the capital. Demonstrators occupied the Science Laboratory intersection on Mirpur Road and blocked the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway in Uttara.

Police, led by an additional deputy commissioner from the Ramna Division, requested that students nominate a five-member delegation for discussions with government authorities. Protest leaders rejected the proposal, insisting that their demands could not be negotiated through a small delegation.

The march later moved towards Dhaka University, where police stopped protesters near VC Chattar, a site frequently associated with student activism and political demonstrations.

After leaving the university area, students proceeded to the Dhaka Education Board. Tensions escalated when a few protesters allegedly threw brick chips at the building.

According to local reports, protesters later gathered outside the residence of Dhaka University's Vice-Chancellor, where police erected barricades to prevent them from advancing further into the campus.

Outside the capital, demonstrations also paralysed transportation. Students blocked the Dhaka-Aricha highway in Savar, the Dhaka-Barishal highway in Barishal and staged protests in Narayanganj, Bogura, Tangail, Mymensingh, Rajshahi and Jashore.

In Barishal, Cumilla and Narayanganj, protesters refused to clear highway blockades until government representatives agreed to meaningful dialogue.

Meanwhile, in Chattogram, students gathered outside the Chattogram Education Board, where angry demonstrators reportedly tore down the main gate while demanding that examinations be suspended until flood conditions improve.

How the govt responded

As protests heated, the government introduced several measures aimed at addressing students' concerns. Milon announced that examinations missed because of floods or administrative shortcomings could be conducted again if necessary, reported Dhaka Tribune.

Replying to a supplementary question from Jamaat-e-Islami MP Md Shafiqul Islam, elected from Patuakhali-2, in Parliament, the minister said, "These students are our future. Under no circumstances can we deprive them of their rights, and we will not do so."

He said the ministry had been monitoring examination centres throughout the monsoon season and had instructed local administrations to relocate centres whenever floodwaters made existing venues unusable.

According to the minister, Comilla Government College was the only institution to face a major disruption after its grounds were inundated, while several other centres were shifted promptly whenever water entered the premises.

Milon also told Parliament on Tuesday, "So far, only one college, Comilla Government College, has presented a significant challenge after its grounds were inundated."

He added that authorities had ensured students received the necessary facilities whenever examination centres had to be relocated.

Reassuring Parliament that the government remained committed to protecting students' interests, the minister said, "We have already adopted such a measure under the Chittagong Education Board, and that option remains available."

He also said, "We have already adopted such a measure under the Chittagong Education Board, and that option remains available."

The minister urged students to return to their studies, saying the government remained equally concerned about conducting examinations properly despite the natural disaster.

He reiterated that re-examinations could be arranged wherever mistakes or administrative shortcomings prevented students from taking their tests.

Alongside these assurances, authorities announced that examinations in five flood-affected districts under the Chattogram Education Board — Chattogram, Cox's Bazar, Rangamati, Bandarban and Khagrachhari — would be temporarily suspended.

The government also said students who missed examinations because of adverse weather would be allowed to sit rescheduled papers at a later date.

Facing mounting criticism over the "farm chickens" controversy, Milon later expressed regret in Parliament following the Maghrib prayer break, saying the remarks were not intended to offend students.

Why the protests continue

Despite the government's concessions — including promises of re-examinations, full marks for flawed Physics questions, disciplinary action against exam setters, temporary suspension of examinations in flood-hit districts and the minister's expression of regret — student organisations say their central demand remains unchanged.

Protest leaders argue that confidence in the Education Ministry has collapsed after what they describe as repeated administrative failures during one of the country's most challenging monsoon seasons.

They maintain that the examination system should not become an "experiment" conducted at the expense of students already facing extraordinary hardships caused by floods.

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With inputs from agencies