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Education authorities have yet to decide whether Anisa Ahmed, a Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) examinee from Laboratory School and College who ran late for her Bengali First Paper test, will be able to retake the test.
Anisa claimed that she was late to the exam centre because of her mother's illness, but there is some confusion about whether this is true, bdnews24.com reports.
The education board says that even if she does not pass the exam this year, she will still be able to sit for the HSC Bengali First and Second papers next year. And, if she gets more than 66 marks in the Bengali Second Paper exam this time, she will pass on both papers.
On the first day of the exams on Jun 26, Anisa arrived at the Government Mirpur Bangla College exam centre an hour late. As a result, she did not get the chance to sit for the exam. Photos and videos of her crying went viral on social media.
Anisa claimed that she could not reach the centre on time because she was “taking her mother to the hospital after she suffered a stroke”. The next day, on Jun 27, Education Advisor Chowdhury Rafiqul Abrar said that authorities were considering allowing her to take the test.
Prof Khandaker Ehsanul Kabir, president of the Inter-Education Board Coordination Committee and chairman of the Dhaka education board, told bdnews24.com on Sunday afternoon: "We have yet to receive any decision on Anisa taking the Bengali First Paper exam again. We have formed several investigation teams, collected information about her, and informed the education ministry. The matter depends on the ministry’s decision.
"There is no precedent for someone to take the exam under special arrangements if they miss a public exam. We do not have the opportunity to grant them that chance under any law or regulation. However, the board will take action according to the Ministry of Education’s decision by executive order. "
Asked what would happen to the student’s educational track, Kabir said: "Even though she could not take the Bangla First Paper exam, she took the Bangla Second Paper exam. If she gets 66 in that exam, she will pass on both papers. If she does not achieve that, she is still able to sit for the Bangla first and second papers next year as an irregular examinee."
The Dhaka education board and the Government Mirpur Bangla College Examination Center had formed two investigation teams to investigate Anisa's claim that she was late due to her mother's illness.
A high-ranking official of the Dhaka board, who was in charge of supervising the two investigation teams, said on Sunday afternoon on condition of anonymity: "Our investigation teams have found that Anisa's claim about her mother's illness is not true. Her mother was with her at the centre gate on the day of the first exam. She introduced herself as her aunt. Anisa thought the exam was at 2pm, but when she later found out that the exam was at 10am, it was too late.
"We did not disclose this matter to ensure that the student could take her other exams properly. If she did well in the other subjects this time, she would be able to sit for two papers for one subject next year."
Asked about Anisa’s situation, Laboratory School and College Principal Md Asaduzzaman told bdnews24.com: "We spoke to the student and her mother. They showed us a medical certificate claiming that her mother was admitted to the hospital that day. We have sent a copy of it to the board.
"A police investigation will be needed to determine whether the medical certificate is accurate or if it was forged. The Dhaka board and the central authorities have formed two investigation teams. They have collected information and submitted it to the board. The education ministry and the board will decide whether only one of the student’s exams will be retaken."