Dhaka Education Board chairman ‘resigns’ amid student protests over HSC results

Tapan Kumar Sarkar, the chairman of the Dhaka Board of Intermediate and Higher Secondary Education, has announced his resignation amid the day-long protest staged by a group of students, demanding a re-evaluation of their Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) exam results.

He will send the resignation letter to the Ministry of Education on Monday, the Dhaka Education Board chief said, reports bdnews4.com.

Tapan, who had served as the president of the Inter-Education Board Coordination Committee this year, said: “We are still besieged. They had sought my resignation and I said if you get an auto pass if I resign, I will do so. See if you can get an auto pass from the ministry as we have nothing to do here.”

A group of students laid a siege to Dhaka Education Board on Sunday afternoon, demanding a re-evaluation of their exam results and seeking the resignation of the board chairman. They placed the board officials under siege as of 9:30 pm.

The board chairperson told bdnews24.com that he had decided to resign in a confined situation around that period.

On the afternoon of the day, a mix of students marched from the Central Shaheed Minar to the board offices under the banner of "HSC Batch-2024". “We want discrimination-free results” was written on their banner.

As they attempted to meet the chairman of the Dhaka Education Board, the students were blocked by the police at the main gate.

The situation escalated when the students forced their way through the gate and onto the board premises.

The protesters later alleged that some of them were attacked after they entered the premises to meet with the chairman. They later burst into protest at the board premises.

The protesters said the demonstration will continue until re-evaluation of their test papers.

Earlier at 6:00 pm, Prof Tapan said that the protesting students had tried to enter his room and vandalised it.

"Some students have besieged us demanding an auto pass, we are still blocked in the office."

He said, “Those who are protesting failed in this year’s exams. We have evaluated the results based on the subjects in which the exams were held per the education ministry’s directive.

"Now they will accept this. They are seeking mapping of all subjects and fresh results. How's that possible?"

Tapan became the chairman of the Dhaka board in May 2022. The physics professor had earlier held the secretary’s position on the board.