Minister Moves to Restore HSC Exam Access

Education and Primary Education Minister Dr. A N M Ehsanul Haque Milon has intervened swiftly over the cases of 15 Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) candidates in Natore and Bogura who were unable to sit for their examinations due to form submission irregularities. Following his telephone directives, the relevant education board and local authorities took immediate action, enabling the students to participate in the examinations as regular candidates from tomorrow.

According to the Ministry of Education, eight HSC candidates from Abdulpur Government College in Lalpur Upazila of Natore had deposited the required examination fees but were unable to sit for the exams. After the issue was reported in the media, the education adviser took immediate notice of the matter.

He subsequently spoke by telephone with Professor Dr. Shamim Ara Chowdhury, Chairman of the Rajshahi Education Board, instructing her to take the necessary steps to ensure the students could sit for the examinations. In line with his directive, the board completed the students' form submission process on an emergency basis, allowing them to appear in the examinations from tomorrow.

According to the allegations, the college's office assistant, Amit Kumar Sarkar, collected the examination fees from the students but failed to deposit them properly, resulting in their admit cards not being issued.

Following the incident, the education adviser also spoke by telephone with Natore Superintendent of Police Mohammad Shariful Haque and Officer-in-Charge of Lalpur Police Station, Shafiqul Islam, directing them to take strict legal action against those responsible. Police later arrested the accused office assistant, Amit Kumar Sarkar, and legal proceedings against him are underway.

The adviser also instructed the Chairman of the Rajshahi Education Board to conduct a comprehensive investigation and take exemplary action against those found responsible. A three-member inquiry committee, headed by Associate Professor Abdullah Al Mahmud of the college's Department of Chemistry, has been formed to investigate the incident.

In a separate incident in Sariakandi, Bogura, one student was unable to sit for the examination despite paying the required fees on time because of an error in the registration number. In addition, six more students in Mahasthangarh faced similar problems and were also excluded from the examinations.

The education adviser intervened in those cases as well, speaking directly with the relevant officials over the phone and instructing them to take immediate corrective measures and impose exemplary punishment on those responsible. The students' form submission procedures were subsequently completed, enabling them to sit for the examinations as regular candidates from tomorrow.

//DBTech/SI/MI/OR//